Nymphet
by Spicy Sith
Summary: V and Evey are getting to know each other's wicked ways, the poor fools.
1. Chapter 1

**Nymphet**

**Chapter 1**

**Senses and awakenings**

**The Shadow Gallery**

After the first few weeks of forced residence in the Shadow Gallery, Evey could no longer lie to herself; she still wanted to go back to her old life but she couldn't remember sleeping so soundly since she was a little girl. Everything was strange down there and she was still a bit scared of V. She was also twice as scared of his "hobbies", which usually involved home-made explosives, which were the least he could pull. On the positive side, she was adapting, she was no longer terminally cold, she was clean, fed, nobody yelled at her any longer and she was even surrounded by beautiful things. Evey also had too much free time on her hands.

V tried to keep her busy with as many intellectual activities as possible –he abhorred at least 9 out of every 10 shows on television and therefore didn't want her to waste her time before the screen watching that filth- and had imposed on himself the task of trying to remove from her head as many party slogans as possible, and replace them with something more sensible, which at first met strong resistance and gave Evey headaches.

Evey didn't believe most of what the system had tried to plant into her brain in order to transform her from a troublesome child with a turbulent past, into a model citizen. A model citizen that couldn't even get enough food stamps to keep her body well fed and sadly had grown used to being hungry most of the time, something that changed when she met a strange man in a mask, one night after curfew.

V still wasn't satisfied with her deprogramming and kept poking her in search for what had indeed conditioned her, which Evey found annoying and intrusive. She also knew he meant well and endured the process almost every day as difficult as it may be. Sometimes it was very frustrating for V as well and more than once it must have made him roll his eyes behind the mask.

At least Evey was almost sure there were eyes behind the mask although V seemed to look at her with his whole body, just the way he seemed to feel, hear, smell, taste, and God knew what other senses she couldn't even begin to imagine were also there. She didn't know how that would work but it was just the way he acted and the way she felt when he looked at her, even from behind. She'd get a tingly feeling running up and down her spine, a gentle humming that resounded in the base of her skull, like a chill but it wasn't cold; it was warm instead. Then she'd turn around to find him there, standing several feet away, head tilted and hands laced behind his back, just watching her in silence, not even trying to pretend he wasn't.

Sometimes he'd take this as his cue to start a conversation, which could turn into an academic session, or he'd simply nod at her appreciatively before turning around and leaving the room without saying a word. Evey liked it when he did the latter and after a couple times found herself looking forward to having a chance to see V walking away from her, slowly if possible. She simply loved his narrow waist, the most indecent curve on the small of his back, the slim hips, and the long legs, but she especially liked the way he filled those black breeches. She often wondered what would be like to give that muscular rump a good bite.

The thing is she wasn't supposed to feel anything when he was looking at her, as V admitted. He'd been actually surprised the first time it happened. One morning he was reading after breakfast and absentmindedly heard her walking to one of the corner bookcases, looking for something to read. He'd rapidly grown used to the sound of her light and usually bare feet carrying her from here to there, and it was a sound he found both exciting and comforting. He listened as she picked one book after the other, just to return them to their places after flipping a few pages and finding she wasn't in the right mood for them.

Eventually there was silence and V looked up from his own Japanese cooking recipes book to see what the girl was up to. Evey was holding in her hands the volume she'd finally picked and apparently found the first pages so interesting that instead of sitting down on her favorite reading chair or –hopefully- next to him, she stood glued there, reading page after page, shifting her weight.

V was about to suggest she brought her book back to the black leather couch but she looked so small and pretty under the soft lights that he said nothing and being a practical man, took the chance that was offered to give her a good look. Evey looked completely immersed in those pages, frowning a little when something seemed to challenge her old notions or pressing the very tip of her pink tongue to her upper lip when further explanation cleared things up.

V could no longer remember what recipe he'd been reading. V could no longer remember he'd been reading in the first place. He found himself mesmerized by that moist little tongue, wondering what it would feel like to let it play with his own, late, late at night.

Then it happened; Evey shivered visibly and turned to look straight at him with a surprised expression, as if she'd seen or heard his thoughts. She had the decency of blushing and giggled, nagging him a little for making her squirm with his "piercing stare". V chuckled and apologized for disturbing her reading and proceeded to ask her about what she'd felt in detail. After all his very life depended on stealth but so far no other soul had sensed him like that. He finally considered it an oddity and turned it into a playful thing, a game only they could play. If only he'd known he'd awaken in Evey a playful side not all girls have but most men should fear.

Evey felt sincerely attracted to V but her difficult adolescence had deprived her of the chance to fully live and eventually outgrow every normal stage girls experience and she became a frightened young woman long before her time, which just made her attraction remain real but at the same time not be mature or sensible.

What should have been her teenage games –including the cruel ones- were supplanted by a façade of obedient conformity, forced into her brain during her "reeducation" after her parents had been detained and eventually killed. She remained suspended between the woman and the child, frozen in time.

As a survival tool Evey had repressed that aspect of her own personality that should have developed when she was 12 or 13 but now in her early twenties she felt safer in her dimly lit sanctuary, and things inside her were stirring, boiling after a long sleep. Evey was, with V's enthusiastic support, on her way to discover who she really was.

Unfortunately neither knew that Evey was about to make up for all the lost time and embody the archetype of the perverse nymphet, one of those charming little devils that once in a while showed up among regular girls to turn the world upside down and keep it that way for a handful of years. Evey was in fact a repressed Lolita, meant to explore her resources and her sexuality by means of systematically tormenting males around her, just to see what made them tick and how far she could go with them to have her way.

Now that unfulfilled aspect of her was rapidly awakening and there was only one possible target; V. Grown up Evey wanted the man and nymphet Evey wanted to play with her food as well. Both demanded satisfaction. Apparently the skilled assassin didn't have much of a chance playing that game he wasn't aware of, and Evey herself wasn't yet fully capable of understanding her behavior, much less put an end to it. All she knew was that some part of her very much enjoyed teasing V, even to the point of annoying him. She was already learning how to draw him back to her after throwing a fit, and then make him forgive her as if it had been -his- choice to do so. She'd also learned a couple things from him; like never using the same trick twice...


	2. Chapter 2

**Nymphet**

**Chapter 2**

**Trial and error**

**The Shadow Gallery**

It had become a little token of politeness for V; he'd never thought of it before, he'd never thought he'd ever need to do something like that either. The first time it happened, the words came out so easily that he knew they were missing from his mind only after they'd already abandoned it. He didn't know why he'd said anything like that but it seemed so right and so… normal in so many ways that he got used to repeating the pattern right away.

Tonight he'd do it again and as before, his simple and apparently innocent statement would be answered with a shy smile and a look of barely suppressed concern. He would tilt his head like saying "yes, I'll be careful" and those worried eyes would give up and hope for the best.

He was still unsure about telling her plainly about his "other looks". So far she'd only seen the Fawkes one –his personal favorite- but there were many others far less conspicuous that allowed him to move practically freely in the streets and even interact with people other than Evey or his unwilling "clients".

He liked going out right after sunset, even better during winter when natural light could no longer betray him and he could complete the image with hats, coats, scarves and knit gloves, just the sort normal people could get. He had fun dressing up and going out when the hour was still early enough to find people walking home from work. Just people, regular folk trying to live despite the grayness of their world.

He practiced his acting skills with store clerks mostly, after all they were used to seeing dozens of individuals every day and if they didn't notice anything amiss, it wasn't likely anyone else would. Black market people were a greater achievement given their natural tendency to distrust everyone. V had still managed to make a handful of useful connections among them, although he always kept his distance.

But his favorite thing, what he enjoyed the most was to walk into a store and actually buy things. Lately those things weren't for his personal use. Not everything Evey wore had been stolen from warehouses and more than once he'd spent up to one hour inside poorly lit stores, right before closing time, picking things for her, mixing the excitement of not getting caught with that of finding pretty things he thought she might like.

It was definitely an advantage that his skills stretched far beyond explosives and being able to subtract money from here and there simply by manipulating a few bank account numbers proved being of vast help for years. He loathed finding himself lacking resources of any kind.

His efforts to have her wear nice things had more to do with personal pride than with politeness for a guest or with guilt for making her lose most of her material possessions –except that awful purse- when he'd imposed his hospitality on her after the Jordan Tower incident.

At first his selection had been a broad one and he'd brought her pretty much anything he could find on her size, then all he had to do was keep an eye on what she actually wore and seemed comfortable with. Next time he refined the search and the percentage of what she favored improved as a result.

Evey wasn't exactly a fashion genius but V didn't care, if she was happy with her new wardrobe, so was he. There was one sort of garments he had a preference for, though; underwear. He had no previous idea he had that little kink inside of him, never having to search for ladies lingerie before, but it was clear since the beginning that those little pieces of cloth were nothing like blouses or skirts.

He'd blushed the first time they had even discussed the subject and he still did just by remembering. As soon as she had understood what really meant having to stay in the Shadow Gallery for a whole year, she was dismayed to discover that it would be very difficult –if not impossible- to send V to her little apartment to recover anything from there so she owned only the clothes she was wearing.

V had devoted the next several trips above to finding things for Evey, from shampoo to, yes, underwear. He tried to stick to what appeared to be simple and practical, matching sets in pastels, commonly available and definitely plain. They all stopped seeming plain the minute he remembered they were for Evey and just thinking on it charged them with erotic meaning.

V didn't even want to look at them when it was time to present them to her for fear she'd notice his interest; he'd put everything in a dark plastic bag –in general he didn't like plastic in his home but sometimes it was useful- all mixed with other things she needed and then leave it on her bed when she was taking a bath or watching television. He didn't think he could stand the sight of her emptying the bag to see what he'd brought with him there, watching the whole thing, which of course did not keep him from trying to figure out which set she'd be wearing afterwards.

It was almost time to finish getting ready and with perfect synchronicity the door guarding Evey's room creaked announcing that its occupant would soon invade the rest of his house. V paused briefly to look at Evey's reflection in the lit mirror of his makeup table, right across the hall from her room. He put the comb aside and moved slightly to the left; he wanted to see the whole thing. There, she'd just found him and her little feet carried her on his direction.

It would be midnight soon, he could tell. He'd repeated the same actions so many times that they'd become a ritual, his personal meditation style with the small television set next to the makeup table providing the background sound, until she came.

Evey looked sleepy already, even though she didn't have to get up before dawn to go to work as before, and could stay up for as long as she wanted, her sleeping patterns hadn't changed much since he'd turned her into an involuntary guest and she still needed to sleep at night regardless of how hard she tried to stay up and wait for him. He'd told her she didn't have to and admitted that sometimes he didn't know for sure when he'd be back but she still did it at least twice every week.

V was used to a much more flexible schedule and many times brief naps during the day were enough to keep him alert and rested, especially when he was very busy. He'd steal 15 minutes here, an hour there and that was usually enough. Of course he also liked to indulge and there were evenings when all he wanted was to take a long bath and then conveniently forget putting on clothes of any sort to just sleep from dusk until dawn.

It was a shame that he hadn't been able to sleep like that in a while, now having company to entertain but such company made life more interesting, especially when he made her blush with some slightly loaded comment or when she wasn't throwing a fit.

There were also other things he'd pondered doing lately, during his bath or in the privacy of his bedroom. Yes, he still had enough of that scented oil he liked so much; it felt cold and warm at the same time. It wouldn't be difficult to imagine a pair of small hands using it on him. Soon, he reminded himself; there would be time to use his mind exclusively for fun but first he wanted to have his timing right, being a slightly noisy fellow; something he'd never had to worry about before.

Sometimes he wondered what Evey would do if she heard him one of those nights, playing. That was a side of him he rarely pondered but his nature seemed to like the finer side of things and there was great enjoyment in beauty that stimulated his senses.

He'd just concluded a week or so ago that Evey could actually notice the difference in his mood when he touched his sensual side. He'd caught her staring at him with a curious expression on afternoon when he was listening to a song playing on the jukebox. He'd been leaning on his precious toy, swaying to the notes of "Miss Celie's Blues" thinking that since she was taking a bath, he'd have some time alone, at least enough for a couple songs.

The song ended and it was only then that he noticed she was there, wrapped in her new bath robe and toweling her hair. Obviously she'd been there for a while already, just looking at him. He'd been thoroughly caught in fault so instead of trying to come up with an excuse, he settled for greeting her and resuming his chores, thinking on the way she'd been looking at him. For a while she insisted on following him around the house, until he got distracted and his thoughts went back to his work. Then she'd lost interest.

He still hadn't figured out why that happened but it was perhaps a matter of body language reflecting his thoughts; if he was thinking on pleasant things, his way to move would change accordingly and being the only other person there, Evey would have nobody else to distract her.

Maybe it was something much more primitive, like the sound of his voice or even smells. He suspected a beast hid inside that small body. He was a practical man and one weapon was as good as the next so learning about this was an entertaining hobby. Either case he thought it would be distasteful to exaggerate and that too much of it –whatever it was- would probably offend her. Better to put those thoughts away before he got too carried away.

It was curious; she always refrained from entering the makeup room, she'd stand in the hall or perhaps even lean on the columns that supported the arch, almost hiding behind the deep red drapes but she wouldn't enter. Perhaps one day he'd ask her about it, after all the only places he never allowed her into were simply locked, like his bedroom or chambers where chemicals or electronics were stored.

There were some benefits to wearing a mask, such as not being scolded for glancing at sleepy girls in pink pajamas, thought V, quite amused and wondering if Evey would notice when he was looking at her if instead of doing it directly, he used polished surfaces, such as his mirror. Well, that was an interesting thought; if he couldn't look at her directly because she'd feel it, perhaps there was another way…

"Evening, V" Greeted the sleepy voice behind him.

"Good evening, mademoiselle" Replied V, remembering for half a second a certain vial of oil, which only made his voice come out as a seductive purring. He finished combing the bangs on the wig. "How do we fare tonight?" He abandoned the comb on the table and stood up to look at his dressing progress in the wall mirror. Now if she stood a little to the left, V thought, he might be able to put his hypothesis to the test as well…

"Almost ready for bed, I suppose" Came the slightly disappointed reply. Well, if she wanted him to stay, she should be able to come up with something that made the thought tempting enough. It was almost time for giving Evey her token of politeness. V walked to where she stood, still not done putting on his whole attire but very close.

"Good, then I'll wish you have pleasant dreams. I'm going out tonight but I expect to be back before dawn" There, he didn't have to let her know anything about his comings and goings but he did it anyway and as often as he could.

"All right" She replied, complete with the "be careful, will you?" look. He had to admit he expected to see it because it made him feel wanted, which was a complete novelty. "New shirt?" She added.

"Yes. I did not think you'd notice. Do you approve?" Oh, he was putting up a whole production this time, practically modeling for her, unable to refrain from conducting the last test of the night before going out. Then she reached out and touched him slowly, her hand running up and down his arm, feeling the dark silk and making him shiver unexpectedly.

"Oh yes, lovely indeed…"

Well, apparently that thing -whatever it was- worked both ways, so very interesting. They looked at each other for several seconds more than strictly necessary and finally Evey broke the spell, turning to leave as she wished him a profitable evening and a safe return.

V remained frozen watching her walking back to her room and closing the door behind her and it took some effort to remember he wasn't done getting ready for his night out.


	3. Chapter 3

**Nymphet**

**Chapter 3**

**Ten little toes**

Reading was a perfectly good thing to do. Reading was a very healthy habit. V kept pushing Evey into reading; there was suggested reading he supervised daily with religious fervor even if she groaned and staged the fakest faked faint in the history of mankind -if a couch was near- and there was free reading she could control completely. He was very glad she didn't seem as interested in television as before, at least when he was watching.

He suspected she still stuffed her pretty head with soaps and the news but something like that was to be expected considering where she came from. Something natural as well since she had to stay in the Shadow Gallery at all times. Perhaps he should arrange a little trip outside just for fun. He knew many places they could go to without much fuss and it would be useful if she started becoming familiar with surveillance equipment and its appropriate counterparts.

Yes, he should show her how to do that for starters and from what he'd already seen, the girl was many things but not a fool. He hoped she'd like the idea of going out with him and behave. It would be awful if she ran away or started screaming. No, she wouldn't do that, she was smarter than that.

He hoped with the same intensity that she would not notice he wasn't feeling too well and that she kept focused on her book. He didn't want to answer questions regarding his current state and his peculiarities. He'd sit down next to her and concentrate on getting better. Sometimes not moving helped and his room seemed to be miles away from the television room anyway.

Quite frankly he didn't feel like collapsing in the middle of the hall either, which was a possibility if his head kept spinning like that. He wondered if it showed but thought that if he didn't look straight at her and kept his mouth shut, she would not sense anything different.

The girl looked very comfortable on the leather couch with her legs crossed under what she called, her "nap blanket" and the book resting on her lap. She seemed to chill easily at certain times of day or night, which had little to do with her new environment. They were so deep beneath the street level that the temperature in the Shadow Gallery remained practically unchanged throughout the year.

That was one of the things V liked the most about his home; the temperate nature of every room. That and the fact that he could play and make all the noise he wanted. Correction; he could no longer play and make all the noise he wanted. He had company now. Shhhh.

Evey still complained of being cold once in a while and it was no coincidence that soon after the puzzled and very boring wife of a high-ranking party member couldn't find the multi-colored crocheted blanket she'd just finished, the same blanket that miraculously appeared on Evey's bed. It was amazing what bright colors she favored; V could swear there was something wrong with her eyes or maybe the lights were too dim. She still loved it and that settled it.

He liked it when she was pleased with anything he did; from cooking breakfast to borrowing things from above. Of course he'd just steal such objects most of the time and she'd frown because he'd done so, and she'd probably throw something at him to show her disapproval but she'd still smile in that special way that called him a rascal and a thief to then take whatever he'd stolen for her straight to her room where soon it would find a place and a purpose.

"What are you reading tonight, V?" She asked as soon as he'd settled in the other end of the black leather couch. He knew he looked as if a giant girl had grown tired of playing with her anarchist rag doll and had thrown him over the couch. It wasn't one of his most elegant moments and his embarrassment matched his temporary inability to make it stop.

"Oh, nothing right this moment, dear Evey," Quick, lie like Obi-Wan, he reminded himself. "I'll just take a short break from work to think…" Perfect. It was even the truth. She'd go back to her reading and then he could focus on recovering, no questions asked.

The whole scene spoke of domestic harmony; he had adopted the role of teacher –which was most satisfying- and he had a lovely little pupil he could boss around, when she agreed to such thing, of course. Perhaps he should call her "Padawan". Well, aren't we silly tonight, he thought despite himself. He was quite sure her answer would be something like "Fuck off, Master V". It made him grin behind the mask although he couldn't remember catching her using such language. Would she talk like that in bed…? All of a sudden it seemed quite appealing to be called Master, especially if it was in the bedroom…

There was a downside to brewing one's own revolutionary drugs; eventually you had to see if they worked. Once in a while he'd take something with unexpected results due to his strange nature, and his caution and all measures he could think of to prevent accidents were not enough. Perhaps he had taken too much or he'd taken it too quickly. One thing was certain; his new recipe seemed to be gaining in strength little by little and it was harder for him to move. Such interesting effect…

If V had been a little more attentive to his surroundings, if he'd been a little less focused on being high, he would not have failed to notice those nimble female legs sliding ever so slowly over the couch, like a lazy cat stalking an empty lap…

V didn't know how much time had passed and in a way he was glad Evey was comfortable but this seemed a bit too much. It wasn't fair; he wasn't at his best, so busy seeing animated electronic schematics in his head to defend himself from the little vampire. What was she up to this time? And what was he to do with a pair of bare legs resting so shamelessly across his lap?

They were at least covered by the knitted blanket, he thought as panic started crawling up his spine. It had been a very good day despite his little lab accident and the mood was light and happy so even saying one word would break the spell. He didn't want to look like an idiot either. In truth he did not think he could stand up to begin with.

He hesitated but decided it was best to assume a casual attitude, as if such things happened all the time and tried to pay attention to his sanity once more, tried being the perfect word to describe it because deep inside V was now torn between enjoyment and fear. What if she tried to touch him? His senses were as sharp as always but pretending to be thinking was almost all he could do. In practical terms he was harmless as a kitten.

Evey seemed oblivious to his predicament and kept reading her book with evident pleasure, innocently leaning back on the cushions and stretching as far as her small frame allowed. Soon she started giggling and squirming to V's dismay and he scolded himself for suggesting she read something light for a change. His illicit library had room for all sorts of works and Voltaire's satirical comedies were not absent from it.

The feeling of Evey's cool legs rubbing against his thighs with every giggle was taking over his whole mind and his body begged to respond in kind. He was hot, flustered, and oh, so drugged. He feared even his breathing would reveal his thoughts and started counting in his head to recover control and avoid at all cost picturing in his head what would feel like to throw his gloves across the room and touch those legs or have them around his waist, squeezing him tight.

It seemed to work until his eyes betrayed his intent and looked down.

Oh, he wasn't only an idea after all, was he? Evey practiced wriggling her small toes and the blanket slipped slowly revealing more and more of the creamy smoothness of her skin. V caught himself calculating how many more giggles would be needed to have the blanket completely off Evey's legs.

It didn't help either that she had decided to change early that evening into one of those dreadful sleeping oversized shirts she sometimes favored. V's thoughts inevitably reached the "I wonder which panties she's wearing now…" stage and it made him blush furiously under the mask.

One second he wanted her to stop and the next he silently begged for her to rub a little higher. Oh yes, right there. A bit harder please…

Suddenly Evey snapped the book shut and made him jump, which fortunately she seemed not to notice.

"Time for bed!" She declared cheerfully and it took him a handful of seconds to decide she definitely meant alone.

"Oh. Yes. Of course it is" He managed as she stood while he remained frozen in the couch like a fool. She gave him a wide smile and it was the last thing he saw before the now forever infamous blanket was thrown over his face, his quick reflexes still on vacation.

"Night, night!" He heard her say as she turned to leave, and perhaps it was a good thing that he couldn't see the knowing and smug smile in her lips.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4 **

**PINK AND BATTERIES**

V felt stalked, sometimes even naked, which was of course, ridiculous since he'd been very careful with his appearance in the last weeks. It was a shame to be completely covered at all times if he was to be seen in public but for the time being it was the most convenient thing to do.

Everyone had to deal with little discomforts and he dealt with his without complaints, besides it was surely his own fault that he'd feel "explored" precisely when Evey was staring or even just glancing on his direction. Of course she wasn't an innocent child and he had a very good understanding of how exactly young ladies like her usually managed to make ends meet -something he didn't really care about- but that did not mean she had any interest on him either.

V wasn't used to having to deal with someone other than himself, especially in such close proximity and although he had studied people in general even to the most annoying little details, he wasn't used to being looked at with such curiosity by someone who wasn't determined to cut him open to see what he was like on the inside but that at the same time seemed fascinated by everything he did. It was strange to be permanently on display.

However she'd touched him quite a few times, especially when he was in a playful mood and she wasn't sure about something regarding his physical reality but that wasn't enough to think on anything of importance.

Yes, that's what made it all seem different; he had mistaken her harmless curiosity with something far more personal. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Well, that was the perfect answer to the riddle, was it not? She was a regular girl raised by the system and he… was a wanted rebel who liked to blow up buildings in the name or anarchy -not to mention all those other pretty things he was also very good at- and kept her locked inside as some sort of half-prisoner, half-protégé. No "Gone with the Wind" story there.

It was also true that she was adapting to sharing quarters with him and that would only reflect in a more relaxed way of conducting herself. After all she'd just convinced herself that he did not intend to use her as his personal sex slave or slit her throat in her sleep and he'd always behaved like a gentleman, even after the couch incident. Well, there was that little thing involving her borrowed unmentionables but she'd never complained and he very much doubted she'd even notice in the first place.

Still, he wasn't sure about what he was supposed to feel about that and all those other touches and glances and he had so much to do before the fifth in terms of keeping details under control that there wasn't any reason to waste time and energy pondering things that had nothing to do with his work.

There were special places in his mind, many drawers for different things that were there with him but could not be addressed immediately. Perhaps it would be best to put Evey in one of them and figure out what to do with her later.

Yes, it would also be best if he stopped attempting to tease her by broadcasting sensual thoughts or by conducting himself on any suggestive manner. He should also stop staring at her until she squirmed. Yes, no more of the staring game, not even for practice or as an experiment to figure out how to control it.

But he regretted having to stop his experiments on that game, and he wasn't willing to repress what he'd recently discovered in his own nature altogether; it was only a complement to what he'd already learned about how to keep his mind and his body sexually satisfied without the need of a partner. There were many ways to accomplish such goal and he was a curious lad, always willing to practice. Finding out more about his personal kinks ranked as high as chemistry or physics if his schedule allowed so he was determined to carry on as long as it didn't interfere with his work.

No, that was a terrible idea; it sounded great but one slip could compromise everything he'd worked for. The constant tension was getting to him and lately he'd spent far too much time trapped by it. It was time to be practical; he'd only be a teacher and a guide, nothing more. It would be best for both. He wasn't even sure they'd make it to the fifth anyway so wondering if she fancied him was nothing but a waste of time.

The thought comforted him to some degree; it brought some sense of order back into his life and reminded him of what it was like to be in control, even if it held just by a thread. He didn't want to think on what he'd miss once he stopped paying attention to that curious creature, so fond of slamming doors in his face.

So starting that morning, V decided to ignore anything that looked like flirting. His work was the only mistress he needed and she was very jealous, too.

Unfortunately Evey had been waiting for the right chance, the perfect opening to continue with her campaign. As usual, the victim was likeliest to provide it and the place tended to be the most innocent of all; the kitchen.

"Is there anything special you'd like to have included on the menu?" Asked the solicitous host, busy with the weekly pantry inventory, previous to what he liked to call "market night"

"I really wouldn't know, V" She replied pensive. "Everything here has a better taste; actually I think I'm putting on weight"

V seemed very pleased with himself, after all the girl had seemed quite underweight when she'd first arrived, no doubt thanks to those few food coupons people on her position could get and her continuous high level of stress.

"I thought I had noticed but I wasn't sure" V's satisfaction was evident and he was too busy congratulating himself to notice the sparkle in Evey's eyes, the clear sign that the devil was whispering once more in her ear.

"Here, feel it?" She said as she grabbed his gloved hands to then press them against her hips. V was too stunned to object or do anything else than let her guide his hands up, down and around, feeling everywhere she thought her curves had improved.

"So, good enough to eat already?" V removed his hands instantly, as if she'd electrocuted him. Even through layers of leather and fabric, he was granted enough tactile evidence to prove she wasn't wearing anything under the matching top and loose shorts.

"Uh… perhaps two or three pounds more…" He tried to keep up with it, to make it pass as a joke. Damn her. It didn't help either that there was very little he could do to –not- stare at the petite top she was wearing and apparently liked so much.

He had a name for it; Evil Nipples Little Top.

The indecency of those small nipples was obvious, scandalous! It wasn't even cold enough to have a reasonable excuse for such display and they both knew it. It was completely unnecessary that she'd cling to his arm and press against him, armed like that. It was outrageous that he'd spend so much time thinking on what would be the best way to play with them.

She'd won another round but he was determined to fight back and his strategy would be that of indifference. He couldn't be rude; of course, he'd just keep his distance and think on unpleasant things whenever she tried to tease him. That should do it.

V spent the rest of the morning and half of the afternoon working on this and that, watching surveillance tapes, putting together circuits, anything that would keep him focused on what should be his priority. Evey seemed content but strangely relaxed, cleaning up a little before her usual reading time, before –their- usual reading time.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to keep his distance for a while, he thought, so for the following three days he tried not to spend too much time with her, which seemed not to earn her favor. Evey seemed exaggeratedly bored and her appetite wasn't as healthy as before. One could be rude without even knowing and V thought he should do something nice to show her he wasn't mad at her, a token of good will between friends.

On his next night out V found himself in Evey's neighborhood, not far from where they'd first met just a handful of weeks ago. He tried to remember her exact address, the one he had extracted from her BTN pass he'd borrowed to gain access to a certain toad's stupidly luxurious bathroom.

Soon he found the back street where Evey used to live. As expected her little place was not occupied simply because it was impossible to rent. The landlord would be unable to even enter unless the seals had been removed by the police, which usually took months once a case was closed but would not happen at all if they were still looking for someone. They were still looking for Evey.

It was very easy to sneak through the only window without disturbing the neighbors and he had a few minutes before the next surveillance patrol drove down the street. Good, the police had done a good job at turning everything inside out and they had taken a good deal of things they could have an interest on but they'd left some personal items, tossed here and there like forgotten toys. Evey would like to have them back.

There were some broken things but in the few minutes he had, V managed to put as many of Evey's squalid belongings as possible inside the dark canvas bag he always carried with him, not bothering with conducting a close inspection and quietly waited in a corner for a moment to make sure it was safe to leave.

Going out was as easy as going in, despite general surveillance. There were a few other chores to complete and it wasn't until an hour before dawn that V managed to return home. Evey wasn't up yet but it was the perfect time to take a bath and change before breakfast.

V tried to relax, wondering if having a few of her belongings back would make Evey feel better and recover her friendly disposition. He hoped she'd be pleased, he hoped not to offend her any further. He decided to show her the contents of the canvas bag after breakfast.

She seemed glad to see him but still didn't want to eat properly. V managed to make her have at least some cereal and not wanting to make suspense drag any longer, picked up the canvas bag from the floor and beckoned her to follow him back to her room. Evey followed him intrigued and watched him place the bag on her bed, wondering what he was up to.

"What's in the bag?" She asked, not knowing if she should worry in advance, knowing who she was talking to.

"Only familiar things, dear Evey."

The girl sat on the edge of the bed and reached for the bag to open it. She looked inside and immediately recognized her belongings. She gasped surprised and quickly emptied the bag on the comforter, touching every little object or article of clothing, family pictures, lipstick and blush he'd taken from her vanity. He'd also recovered her hairbrush, a pair of slippers, and a small Hello Kitty denim purse, the sort of thing adults gave to little girls thinking it made them look like tiny little ladies but at the end ended up containing pencils and pens.

Evey froze as soon as she spotted the purse and looked up at him as expecting to see some reaction. V didn't know what was expected of him and settled for waiting. Evey decided he was oblivious to what was obvious to her and finally looked away, smiling and blushing. Then to his surprise she asked him if he had any batteries she could borrow.

"V, I am going to need them for something you've brought all the way from my flat. I had given up on having it with me again but you've rescued it and it needs batteries." She sounded very pleased with him and her things but still did not seem willing to reveal what now seemed to be a big secret. He was curious, of course, twice as much because apparently something very interesting was inside that purse and because Evey was clearly enjoying teasing him again. At least she wasn't sulking any longer.

V pretended not being overly interested and told her where to find the requested batteries. He wasn't supposed to be curious when Evey was involved and in a supreme effort managed to stay away from her affairs and the denim purse that had pleased her so. Her mood had fortunately improved and he kept his curiosity under control. For two whole days.

It was too much and he had a plan; he couldn't just ask her because that would make her tease him even more so he'd wait for the right moment when she'd be out of her room the longest, during her bath most likely, and then he'd sneak in to look for the denim purse and its battery-operated mystery.

He knew he wouldn't make an example of elegance; tiptoeing like that to Evey's room but he didn't care, he was a man on a mission and time was short. Evey had already found places for everything he'd rescued from her flat and the purse was now stored in the bottom drawer of her dresser. Now it was just a matter of not disturbing things around it. Piece of cake.

V decided it would be best if he didn't remove the purse from the drawer so he simply turned it to gain access to the zipper. The purse was now heavier; obviously the mysterious object that had earned him a young lady's good will now contained the batteries Evey had borrowed from his desk.

He paid attention to every sound to make sure Evey was still taking her bath and once satisfied his gloved fingers unzipped the denim purse to see what was inside. Oh no! Bloody hell…

"Run." said a voice in his head and he hurried to put everything back and leave as quietly as he could. He didn't stop until he was locked inside his own room, unable to believe what he'd just seen, what he'd actually done. "Idiot!" he wanted to scream, utterly ashamed and flustered. "You fool! Of all the things in this world you could have given to a girl you want to be friends with; you had to choose… a pink vibrator…"


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

**BRATS AND FITS**

There were very few things in the whole world as fascinating to watch as V pacing like that, with slow, even, and calculated strides. One could well measure them to find one being exactly as long as the next. The legs were elegant and obviously strong, very straight and used to action, which is what they were busy with, even if they were simply going back and forth between rows of priceless art pieces V had picked from hidden places where they were supposed to be forgotten about.

His breathing was just as measured, deep and slow, a pair of gloved hands laced behind his back to allow the lungs to fill completely. V was impeccable as usual, despite the late hour. It would be easy to believe that even trying he could not look any different. Even the wig cooperated to create his aura of perfection, every hair moving in harmony with its peers. Nothing seemed to have the power to disturb that perfect image, black and imposing.

The mind was obviously at work and it had been for a while. Thinking was V's key trait; his brilliant mind was used to weaving complex patterns in ways no average individual could understand. Sometimes he couldn't follow the exact process himself. And yet it worked. Very seldom he'd make a mistake simply because his genius was not in laying out a rigid step-by-step plan –pretty on paper but harmless in Fate's hands- but in playing with the options instead. He could see the flaws in the design and was skilled in finding order within chaos. Variation amused him.

The image was perfect, even mesmerizing, unless you paid close attention. The mathematically calculated motions told the real story; the mind contained in that pacing body wasn't thinking on doing anything… profitable. It wasn't even in a good mood to begin with. Most of all it was the stiffness on his back that betrayed the mind's thoughts.

V was throwing a fit.

He really wanted to break something just to release his frustration, he wanted to kick the furniture, he wanted to take something in his hands and tear it into small shreds, he was so enraged that he felt like taking his knives to chop the whole world into bite-size portions and then eat it raw with just a bit of salt, he wanted to grab the nearest object and smash it against the wall but… he couldn't.

Apparently –everything- within his reach was a sacred piece of art or human wisdom and he avoided even looking at them thinking his venomous gaze would be enough to crack them. Instead, he paced. V paced and thought.

Maybe it was still dark enough to go out and do something, anything. No, it was ridiculous; he should know how to handle all sorts of situations, he'd made it through everything and that wasn't about to change. He'd stay right where he belonged and he'd do things his way.

He'd boiled for long enough already so his first task would be to find order within his mind. It took some effort to listen specifically to what was bothering him and then go through each item, one by one. Yes, some things had to be done by the book, like bombs.

The little brat had gone too far. She'd been at his home for only a handful of weeks and he was already regretting the arrangement. Perhaps he should consider getting rid of her… Poison, yes. Something subtle and elegant, appropriate for a lady…of sorts. He could not tell exactly why he was so mad in the first place but there were many little things he hated about Evey.

V hated her persistence on using his soap even when he'd brought her lots of pretty perfumed ones, or her terrible table manners, or those bloody bunches that made her look like a little girl, or the way she opened every box of cookies in the pantry to get the ones she liked, which by the way just happened to be the same cookies –he- liked, not to mention she'd never put discs back in the boxes they belonged to. And… she really didn't have to play "Baby got back" on the jukebox over and over and over…

And earlier that day she'd called him… she called him… God, she'd called him Bee. Bee! She did it on purpose, she knew he could tell the difference just by ear and still chose to do it right in his face when he was looking at her so he could see how differently she'd given form to the sounds with her lips. Then she giggled and went straight back to her room, scampering and blowing a huge gum bubble. Oh yes, the same flavor of gum he'd found -with his knee- a couple days earlier under the kitchen table.

Oh, not mention that pink… thing he'd accidentally brought back from her old flat. Oh, he didn't think he could still feel embarrassment at that point of his life. And didn't she know he could hear her? She should have already guessed that even through wooden doors and stone walls, he could hear the buzzing –and- her moans. Did he have batteries? Ha! Of course he had batteries, rechargeable even. What kind did she want? Sure, sure, take them from the office desk. Top drawer, please do not disturb the unpaid bills and the stationery. Idiot!

And didn't she know that he could also… smell her? The little bitch would come out of her room after "playing" with that thing, while he pretended being part of the furniture in the dark of the makeup room; shocked at what seemed a newfound masochistic compulsion to stay right there, letting her manipulate him in such a cheap way. Then she'd go back to her chores as if nothing and yes, he had to admire the skill she used to move around and yet keep her distance.

It was even worse when he was trying to sleep; then everything his drowsy mind could sense was used to weave dreams, all in extraordinary detail. Then he would not be in the makeup room any longer, listening and trying to imagine what was going on being that closed door. In his dreams he was an active participant, a guest to Evey's room where she'd whisper in his ear her wishes and she'd show him exactly how to please her with the pink toy. After he'd begged prettily enough, that is.

But no, morning would come and real life Evey wouldn't do any of that; she'd only let him sense her aura of satisfaction after what she'd done in her room, utterly pleased with having found such stupidly obvious weak spot in his character. Then she'd smile at him knowing far too well that her teasing had an effect on him even if he tried to pretend it didn't.

In one moment of clarity he realized she didn't even have to create new variations to torment him with; he was perfectly capable of doing it himself with the raw materials she'd provided him with and now even his dreams conspired against him, with images that would haunt him and work as fuel to keep him burning for hours and days.

Evey's timing was impeccable and as soon as he seemed to focus on his work once more, she'd deliver another little pill of malice to correct it. At such times all he wanted to do was get it over with, and throw her over the kitchen table to fuck her until she screamed, if only to make her leave him alone.

That lead to another dilemma, he wasn't sure he'd ever done anything of that sort with a partner, which only added to his confusion.

He'd gotten very few positive things from Larkhill; one of them was the extraordinary sensitivity of his skin, regardless of its current state. It was not only for vanity or dramatic purposes that he chose to isolate it so completely with fine fabrics and leather. No, he also did it to contain things, to keep feelings from distracting him.

That had worked perfectly well until a new factor was added to the equation; that of a girl determined to turn his -until then- controlled sexuality against him. He just wasn't ready to be reminded he wasn't equipped to deal with a second adolescence since he'd forgotten his first.

He still retained enough self-imposed discipline to control his impulses when Evey was around and he would wait for the best moment to discreetly disappear behind paintings that concealed doors that lead to narrow passages that ended at his room. His blessed room, he hoped the walls were thick enough and that Evey's ears were not as sensitive as his.

And he was running out of oil.

To his credit, he had never exploded in front of her, not once, which he almost suspected was somehow her intent but what he hated the most, the object where he'd placed all his frustration, what he really wanted to put a bomb in and send to his next victim with a card and a red bow on top wasn't that vibrator with all that sexual charge. No, the focus of all his rage, the symbol of his shame was the stupid teddy bear. Oh yes, how about using that nice coffee-based explosive he had not made in a while…

Then he heard it; little footsteps in the hall coming his way, obviously from Evey's room. He was by then very familiar with the sound. He took one last deep breath and turned around to concentrate on wringing her neck as soon as she was close enough. Poison could take too long. She stopped in the middle of the hall, squinting and quite out of reach. Damn her.

A little hand beckoned him to get closer and the harmlessness of the gesture took him aback. To his surprise, he actually obeyed the gentle command and walked all the way back to where Evey was standing. Apparently she wasn't having a restful night and V silently scorned himself for disturbing her sleep with his pacing. He had noticed since the beginning that she tended to have nightmares and although she'd improved since her arrival, sometimes she'd wake up in the middle of the night scared and confused, not even knowing where she was.

"Is there something wrong, Evey?"

She rubbed her eyes with a small fist and looked up at the mask, with an uncomfortable and tired expression, close to tears judging from her pouting. No, this did not look like one of her childish –then-I'm-not-eating-so-there tantrums, designed to punish him through food when she did not get away with something. She was carrying by one leg the hated bear. She'd found it in a chest at the storage room soon after she'd first arrived. On that day they had looked for things that would make her room more comfortable and upon finding it, she proclaimed it hers.

V supposed it reminded her of another bear, perhaps from her childhood, rather than point at some abnormal behavior. He had felt so guilty for making her stay for a whole year that he would have let her keep a real living bear if she'd found one and he had eccentricities of his own he'd like her to respect as well so Evey kept the bear and no eyebrows were lifted.

Since that day the bear had enjoyed a place of privilege in her bed, resting comfortably on the pillows. Sometimes she'd even pull the covers over it to keep it from chilling, as if a toy needed covers. More than once they'd watched a film with the bear sitting on the leather couch between them. At other times she'd keep it pressed to her chest for hours. He didn't want to think of her hugging it in her sleep. He absolutely loathed the sight of her touching that thing when she could perfectly spend at least a fraction of that time touching… him instead.

There, he had to face the truth. He was glad the mask hid from Evey the fact that he was jealous of a stuffed animal. Stupid bear, he was so very jealous of it.

"Nightmare." She sighed, exhausted but too scared to go back to bed. Evey pressed her forehead to his chest, trying to ease her nerves and at the same time asking for his permission to invade his personal space. Well, that was new. A pair of strong arms wrapped around her half expecting she might still object but she didn't. Evey slid her arms around V's waist and leaned against him with a second sigh, allowing him to comfort her. It was curious to see the other side of that little monster.

"Can I get you anything?" Perhaps she'd want to watch a film or talk. He had deadly drugs he could easily dilute to such minimum concentrations that would make her sleep again without causing habit or harm but she simply hushed him, apparently looking for a more comfortable spot. She pressed her cheek to his chest and moved around a little, obviously not quite satisfied.

At last she found what she was looking for and rubbed her face against him like a kitten marking her territory before settling on the spot she'd picked at last. V didn't know what she was up to but it seemed to be working so he let her do what she thought was best. She felt so small and fragile in his arms, cold. He thought it would be easy to crush her ribs if he squeezed too hard and couldn't repress the thought that if they ever engaged in certain physical activities, he would have to be just as careful. Her tension began to fade little by little and soon she seemed to be stealing from him some of the warmth she lacked. The temperature of his body was always a few degrees higher than the norm and perhaps she just wanted to benefit from the heat he radiated.

It was still a novelty for Evey that his body was so warm, and at first she kept asking him if he was sick. It took some time to convince her that no, he was neither ill nor fevered; his body was just that way and he rather not disturb what seemed to be normal for him, which was mostly the truth, at least after Larkhill, something he wasn't really in the mood to discuss.

Back then it had been amusing to see her frown and then reach out to touch him at different times of day or night, as if she expected the rotation of the planet would make him feel any different. Soon after she'd stopped frowning, once convinced that he'd always feel warm. She still found excuses to keep on touching him after that, when the bloody bear allowed, of course.

She seemed to melt in his arms and after a few minutes a long yawn announced she'd be ready for bed soon. It occurred to V that it was perfectly possibly that she could fall asleep right where she stood and since she had already ordered him to shut up, he decided to do just that and wait.

It was curious that she would let herself go like that, knowing at least to some degree what he was capable of. V wasn't used to such behavior. She was still awake but it wouldn't last much longer, judging by her increasing inability to support her own weight. He squeezed her a bit tighter, telling himself that it was just to keep her from falling and as soon as her knees began to give, he decided the experiment was over and carried her in his arms back to her room.

There, he'd proven his point; it was perfectly feasible to make Evey Hammond fall asleep on her feet. Only… he didn't know exactly how he'd done it.

Too light, he thought. She was still too thin, mostly because of the way she'd been raised, that if you could call "raising" what those bastards of the Reclamation Juvenile Project, did to kids whose parents were dead or missing, with black bags somewhere in the equation most likely.

V didn't need lights to find Evey's bed and as gently as he could, released his precious sleeping cargo over the mattress. He tucked her in and grinned as one vengeful thought crossed his mind; yes, this was the perfect time and she wouldn't be able to stop him, nobody would… He took the bear from her loose grip and silently strangled it before tossing it on the floor, sneering at it.

Not daring to inflict real physical damage to the toy –Evey would notice right away- he checked once more on his guest who now seemed to be sleeping peacefully and quietly left the room, closing the door behind him.

V was tired, exhausted even. Somehow the little vampire had drained him even of the anger that had kept him going for hours even before he started pacing in the hall or maybe he had been so distracted being mad at her that he had failed to notice his own need for rest and only felt it once the storm was over.

He was still very annoyed and embarrassed for lusting after what now looked like a lost girl he was keeping against her will but it was too late –or early- to try to fix any of that and he didn't want to think either on how close he was to reaching emotional numbness and indifference. He'd think about it in the morning once that throbbing in his temples stopped. The path to his room seemed not to end and the silence around him wanted to tell him a secret. He wanted to hear but he was so tired…

"Pay attention, lad!" The secret found a way to gain his attention and whispered in his ear before he could stop it; then he realized why she'd acted so strangely, why she'd told him to be quiet, and why she'd relaxed so quickly after what had seemed a terrible nightmare. Of course she didn't want to talk, of course she wouldn't ask for drugs; it wasn't even his warmth she'd been after this time. At the end all she wanted, all she needed to feel safe enough to fall asleep in his arms was to listen to his heartbeat.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

**Bears and dolls**

Sleep came easily but rest eluded him. V knew he would dream, he could always tell when he would. It was a feeling he knew far too well; a persistent aura of uneasiness, similar to melancholy preceding a storm. He could repress it for a while if he had to but eventually whatever his mind wanted to tell would take over him and show him things, not caring if he was asleep or awake. Dreaming was far less inconvenient than hallucinating so he surrendered, like he rarely did, resigned to watch what promised to be a bizarre play.

He also knew that dreams often gave him priceless insight to his own thoughts, and many times he'd found the solution to intricate problems through his dreams. Some were frightening, yes, but they were still truthful and always expressed his deepest concerns with a clarity that only required a minimum of analysis to be translated into practical suggestions.

For a long time it was dark and he knew he was dreaming already but didn't know where he was supposed to be or what he was meant to experience. He was cold and lonely but didn't want to interfere with the process and remained quiet. Eventually his dream senses noted he was inside Evey's room. He did not believe he could think of it as any other storage room any longer. It was her room, and it would be hers forever, even if she left the very next morning to never return.

For a moment he expected it to be one of those dreams involving him begging for some sex and he was actually surprised to see it wasn't. The girl was in her bed, sleeping peacefully under her covers and the loud crocheted blanket he'd stolen for her. The only sound was that of her calm breathing and from time to time a soft murmuring that escaped her lips. She seemed to be dreaming herself and V wondered who she might be talking to in her sleep. No, it would be presumptuous to think she would be talking to him.

He didn't want to look closely, thinking that the bear would be in her arms as usual, settled between her small breasts, on that spot so close to those eternally erect nipples. How many times they'd invaded his dreams, so many that he could almost taste them. And this wasn't an innocent toy either; it was the usurper and the thief, one more enemy to destroy. It was not fair that the little beast should rest warm and comfortable while he was cold and exhausted.

At the end he couldn't repress glancing at Evey and as expected the hated rival was in her arms. V sighed, wondering why the dream was showing him something he already knew and if the bear was occupying a spot he now considered his, it was his own fault, not the bear's. Morbid curiosity possessed him and he looked again, trying to find more detail in the shadows of the room. Everything seemed to be in order, meaning that the dream wanted him to focus on the small person sleeping in the bed.

Evey stirred and continued dreaming right away, her unintelligible dialogue resumed. It was tempting to take the chance and lift the edge of the covers to slip under them and settle behind her, arms wrapped around her as if she were a teddy bear as well. Perhaps then he would be able to rest again.

But no, he dared not. It was of no importance that it was just a dream; he still would not do it. V settled for watching her, trying to ignore the bear but the dream did not seem to progress and he decided the reason was that he wasn't cooperating. He'd learned that trick long ago; if a dream tried to deliver a message and he ignored it or got it all wrong, his mind would keep on tormenting him on future nights with the very same dream. If he made progress the dreams would change until the message was complete, then the dreams based on the subject would stop altogether to be replaced by common dreams. Still it was better to do it correctly since the beginning, especially if the dream was unpleasant, just because that would shorten the agony of the process.

Then it wasn't Evey he was supposed to be looking at, regardless of how pretty a sight it would be. He was in that dream to learn something, not to be entertained. The perspective changed slightly, showing him what he was supposed to study instead. He was not surprised that it was the bear once more but the puny beast looked slightly different, perhaps distorted by the strange visual language of a dream.

Evey giggled in her sleep and moved again, this time to free her hand from the covers and make curls out of the toy's dark yarn hair. V wondered why a teddy bear would have long yarn hair and his curiosity beat any reservations he would still have at that point. He sat on the edge of the bed, now convinced the sleeping Evey in his dream wouldn't even notice or care and leaned closer to look at this curious transformation the bear was apparently going through.

The girl seemed to notice that after all she wasn't alone and squeezed her prize even tighter. V waited until she relaxed again and went back to inspecting the now mysterious toy. It wasn't a teddy bear; it was a rag doll he had never seen before. He looked around, puzzled at the disappearance of the hated bear, and soon found it sitting on the pillow and leaning against the headboard, not quite forgotten but definitely displaced by the newcomer.

He'd have to deal with yet another rival, then. Just what he needed. He could not remember giving her a doll and she did not bring one with her either. And what a strange doll it was; larger than the bear and shaped like a human being, very much like any other doll but where others were graced with bright colors, this one was all black. Then it was clear; he could not see a face but it was obvious that the rag doll dream-Evey was playing with in her sleep looked just like him.

Such a strange dream indeed. Perhaps it was saying that she definitely thought of him as nothing more than a toy and treated him accordingly, at least from V's perspective since the dream was designed to tell him to his face what –he- really felt, regardless of what Evey could think or feel in return.

The dream continued, definitely a sign of progress and Evey stirred again to deliver a sleepy kiss to the doll's head, and then tucked it under her chin, pulling the covers over it, once the pillow talk they seemed to be somehow engaged in was over for the night.

V wasn't sure about the meaning of what he'd just seen, which so far seemed to be directly related to the core of the dream, the part where he should find his answers. He wouldn't be surprised if he needed further dreams to find the meaning of the first one since the obvious; that he may feel that Evey treated him like a rag doll didn't seem satisfactory.

"The problem is you are not a rag doll." Sentenced a mighty voice in the dark of his dream, startling him. Then the scene changed and this time Evey was awake and active, being apparently the hours before noon. She was wearing her favorite short and top and once again seemed oblivious to him being there, watching her lying on her belly and rubbing her bare feet together.

Evey was busy playing with her black rag doll. She'd settled it on the pillows and there it stayed, sitting still with its arms stretched out and the legs very straight while she chatted with it and brandished a small brush to arrange the yarn wig to perfection. V couldn't understand what she said but that didn't concern him, he knew it wasn't the words he was supposed to be paying attention to; it was the general feeling of the surreal conversation those two were sharing what mattered.

It was curious to see her on her neatly done bed, giggling and talking to his rag alter-ego in such a casual manner; she'd never talked to him like that in real life. She finished brushing the yarn wig and put the brush away in the top drawer of her night table. Then she looked satisfied at her work and went back to chatting with the doll, caressing it with familiarity.

Dream-Evey paused as if to listen to something said by the doll and giggled again, reaching out to mess up the wig she'd just brushed to perfection, which made her laugh harder. The dialogue V couldn't decipher held her captive and she nodded in answer to something, while nibbling so gently on a little gloved hand.

V was just as interested on what was going on, wondering what was the secret that doll was hiding, the key to keeping a girl so focused on him. The doll did not seem to be doing much and that was the most curious part. If only he could steal the secret…

"The problem is you are not a rag doll" Said the thundering voice again and once more the scene changed to show him with clarity more of what was stored in his head, keeping him up at night and later disturbing his rest when sleep finally came.

This time nobody was chatting and the dream wasn't as peaceful as the two previous parts he'd already seen, this time he had to look away for long enough to blush and feel like an intruder. Evey was busy on one of her "playing" sessions she loved to torment him with, once more oblivious to everything but her own actions.

Apparently in her hurry she'd neglected to take off anything more than her shorts and panties, her top was still in place and she didn't pay attention to it. The doll was sitting on the bed, trapped in the small space between her parted legs and the pillow she'd put under her knees; its sole task was to hold the vibrator against its belly so it would not slip completely out of her body even if she moved her hips around it. Her little fingers were very busy teasing the erect clitoris and the mesmerized watcher almost forgot he wasn't there for fun; he had to study the doll. The little bastard looked remarkably happy, especially when she came.

Dream-Evey sighed content and to his shock, looked straight at him, licking her moist fingers. "The problem is you are not a rag doll." She purred her statement with a sly smile and then he was pushed out of sleep and back into the waking world, sticky and with his head full of questions. He lay in his bed, fully alert and already working on finding meaning in what he'd just seen and heard.

Of course he wasn't a rag doll. He was nothing like a doll. He didn't understand how not being a rag doll was a problem. After all he was supposed to be a person, not a… flaccid human-shaped toy. On the other hand, the meaning of the dream wasn't supposed to be literal and he'd have to use his wit. So, the problem wasn't that Evey would tease him and be a brat in general. No, the problem was that she wouldn't take that last stride to demand access to him, even when she'd shown interest, as he had already decided was the case. Why?

"Because I'm not a rag doll…" V said, touching himself absentmindedly and not knowing yet the answer to his dilemma but already feeling better for having something to work with, instead of just unsatisfied lust and confusion. He didn't know which was worse.

V didn't understand why she wouldn't deliver the killing blow. She'd cornered him several times, she could have done anything she'd felt like doing when he was drugged on the couch, when he had been unable to move, but still perfectly capable of feeling. And yet she chose not to; she only gave him another sample of mischief -one he had enjoyed very much- and let him go, not disturbing even one button on his clothing. And then a torrent of thoughts crossed his mind; and why would she have to do it all in the first place? Why her? Couldn't –he- do some of the work also? Wasn't he supposed to reciprocate and put his bravado away for a while to flirt back for real if he was honestly interested?

He gasped as how obvious that part of the answer was, how plain and simple and logical. In truth, had he shown any approval to her touching him at least? Was he letting her know dislike wasn't the message he wanted to deliver deep inside? Hell no. He'd stare to make her squirm or perhaps say something slightly loaded, maybe show off during fencing practice, but except for a couple times when –he- had invited her to touch him with a silly excuse, like that of wearing a new shirt, he had expressed no approval to such thing, in fact he had done just the opposite; growing very tense, wincing, and sometimes even recoiling. The mixed messages he kept sending said "I'm interested but not yet familiar with this." but translated as "I don't like being touched by you."

Even when the girl dared to ask for physical contact by means of a comforting hug, he'd agree to it and then he'd ruin the whole thing by broadcasting wave after wave of discomfort, as if it repulsed him. It was surprising that Evey still bothered trying and had also turned it into a playful mission. Granted she went too far sometimes but seen from her perspective it made perfect sense. She seemed determined to enjoy poking him until she found the right spot or the right time to go past his defenses, even if that meant subjecting him to a constant attack that from time to time had more to do with harassment than with seduction.

Things were making sense already. V did want her to talk to him and touch him in such a natural way, with no discomfort or awkwardness. However, he didn't know how to accomplish that, he didn't know everything, just a lot of things. So if the problem was that he wasn't a rag doll, would everything be right if he was? How could he become a rag doll anyway?

He could not, of course, especially the –being flaccid- thing, not in the literal sense. What he could do instead was mimic the virtues dream-Evey found so appealing in the rag doll, hoping the change would also be attractive to real life Evey. Yes, the old lesson; be a mirror, become your enemy. At least he could learn from such an inviting character that wasn't afraid of being touched and pampered, a creature that knew when to give up control and be receptive, even passive. Dare he say… submissive by choice even? How much power it must take to do that!

It would be very difficult to accomplish; he wasn't used to letting go like that, and just the thought of it made him uneasy. He remembered giving up control only when it was snatched from him and after he'd been stripped of any option but forced submission to whatever was imposed on him. That was the core within the core of his dilemma; he had associated Evey's advances with the possibility of future abuse directly linked to giving up control. It would take him some time to deal with the possibility of being passive and safe at the same time, even longer to reconcile both.

But she wasn't trying to break him; she was trying to seduce him. V was satisfied for having found his answer but he was also cautious because evolving meant this time he could not hide inside his mind until it was over like he used to, he would have to face it consciously –and- willingly. He'd have to learn how to express with clarity what he really wanted, hoping that by doing so Evey would know how to keep him whole. And if everything went well, he might even enjoy it.

Yes, he'd found the solution. He would have to try because being afraid wasn't worthy of him, it wasn't dignified and it wasn't right. If becoming a soft rag doll and trusting someone other than himself was what he'd have to do in order to recover his sanity, he would do it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Dust and rugs**

Evey was bored, very bored. There were plenty things to do but she felt lonely and V had been out for a whole night and its following day already. She guessed he wouldn't leave whatever temporary shelter he'd found until well after curfew –if- he did not intend to spend even more time outside. Midnight had already come and with no certainty of when he'd be back. Evey pondered going to bed thinking that sleep would make time pass faster. She dimmed the lights and after a quick bath put on a soft t-shirt big enough to cover her small frame almost down to her knees.

She was already on her way to her room when the familiar clicking of locks opening and closing and electronic devices securing once more the premises resounded like thunder in the underground chambers. Without a second thought she ran to the entrance to greet the man some called demon but she called simply V.

"Aha!" Said the mask at once. "Still up this late, mademoiselle? Up and waiting for me perhaps?" He added quite pleased with himself and removed his hat to bow with deadly grace.

"Good evening, monsieur" Evey curtsied, dressed in her shirt and not even bothering in denying she'd very much hoped to see him. And what a sight it was; V covered in fine dust and cobwebs from hat to boots and obviously very tired.

"Busy day at the office?" She asked with a grin, breaking her own rule of not asking for details. V tended to be quite modest and reserved about a good deal of things but not exactly about murders and theft. He could be scary when he was playing with a sword and although she'd already caught a glimpse of what he was capable of on the night they'd met, she suspected it wasn't even close to what he could accomplish when he was after real prey.

"Yes, indeed! I have found a tight yet manageable new passage into that big deposit I showed you the other night, just across the river. It's not through the sewers this time, though! They use the upper levels to store fancy foods for those party toads but the lower ones; the ones they've already forgotten about are full of pretty things. I have planted a few bugs all around and next time it will be much easier to get in and out." He declared proudly while removing the cloak.

At that point it still wasn't common for him to be in such talkative mood or mention technical details, including the use of electronic devices to spy and disrupt surveillance or security equipment used by the government and if Evey had been paying more attention to the subtext, she might have connected dots to conclude that if V used bugs outside, there was no reason for him –not- to use them inside, more specifically in her room.

An allied professional on equal footing would absolutely expect V to have and use such equipment but would consider his casual remark on bugs a very polite reminder to exercise caution around him and counter-measures would be quietly taken with no detriment for either. It would be simply a matter of basic courtesy among "colleagues".

None of this crossed Evey's mind, not politeness expected in professionals, not the possibility of being watched and heard perhaps even closer than before –even if by a more benign body- which was far closer to her own reality. All she knew was that V was home at last and his whole demeanor told her he was in a calm and suspiciously well-disposed mood.

Then she spotted the green plastic box V had brought home with him, it was very similar in size to a shoe box, with simple metal locks on the sides to secure the lid, the sort of box that could be found in any home, storing anything from crackers to threads, measuring tapes and scissors. Although this was no ordinary home and the carrier of the box wasn't an average individual either. That counted for many, many things about him that simply couldn't be categorized as "average".

"I found a few other little things as well…" He confided in her ear, as if someone else could hear, knowing what her reaction would be. Of course she would want to see inside the box; of course she'd suspect he'd picked something especially for her, something he could tease her with. Of course she'd want it right away since his behavior clearly announced that she could get away with it.

Yes, V knew what to expect from her and by the time she tried to snatch the box from his hands, he had it already out of her reach, at the end of his stretched long arms and well above her head where she could see it but not reach it unless she used him as a ladder.

"No, no, no! Mademoiselle will have to wait for the box to be open in timely fashion. Tomorrow. Maybe." He grinned behind the mask. Evey whined frustrated and he could no longer refuse, not if she pouted like that. He pondered his own discomfort and decided that his bath could wait a little longer. He'd also have to practice how to fight that pouting. But later, some chances should not be missed and this one seemed perfect. He chose to focus instead on what he'd recently been taught by an imaginary toy.

"Very well, then. To the television room, child" Evey squealed and took his hand to drag him and make sure he didn't stray. V thought it was very funny but still considered it a good idea to give Evey less sugar. Yes, less sugar starting tomorrow, she was dangerous enough without it as it was.

The television room came to life again as soon as they both entered and Evey lit the nearest lamp, not bothering with general lights. They settled on the rug by the television, Evey sat down on her heels and V crossed his long legs, making a big show out of placing the green box before him. He looked up to make sure he had her undivided attention and slowly, very slowly slid one gloved hand under the lid.

"First of all..." He paused dramatically just to see Evey's impatient expression "First of all, a small treat for mademoiselle" And produced a delicate red and white lollipop, wrapped in cellophane, which he gently offered as if it were a flower. Evey immediately accepted it and literally two seconds later the lollipop was unwrapped and in her mouth.

There, he'd just succeeded in placating the beast with an appropriate sacrifice so the rest should go smoothly if his nerves remained under control. Perhaps giving her sugar when the time was right wasn't such a bad idea after all...

The girl grinned and it was obvious that the inside of her mouth was already turning red with the candy. No wonder she reminded V of vampires, although the ones he could think of didn't sleep in oversized neon green t-shirts.

"What else did you bring?" She asked breaking his concentration.

"Something for me, something for you, and something for both of us" Two small bars of quaint neutral soap appeared when he opened his fist. She'd kept using the pretty soaps only as decoration on her designated area in the bathroom despite his assurances that he could easily get more.

No, she liked –his- soap only. She preferred above all the one kind of soap his skin tolerated, common neutral soap. He'd asked her if that was the kind of soap she purchased before arriving at his home but he'd only gotten a no for an answer and a mysterious smile. There was more to that soap than he could read but she didn't seem willing to reveal her secret yet.

The girl seemed very pleased with small talk that didn't involve politics or chemistry so that's just what she was given. "Oh, I found several new films! They are all in the index, which is always promising. Comedy this time; Marx brothers, the Three Stooges, Bugs Bunny cartoons..."

Box after box came out of the green container, names and titles Evey had never heard of. Even V seemed to recall only references to some of them in old magazines or classic movies guides. And these definitely seemed like classics since although they had been produced in the first half of the 20th century they'd made it to DVD format, which proved they were still in the market during the turn of the millennium, before so much of human history was forever lost.

V tried to keep a casual attitude, handing her one movie at a time so she could look at the photographs on the covers and read the short reviews printed on the back. He was a practical man and used the time to take the temperature to the situation and remind himself that there was no better time than the present and that a good lie always starts with the truth. If he'd have to be uncomfortable for a while longer the least he could do was profit from it.

Evey was very focused looking at all those little treasures and it took her a short while to realize that V was squirming, and sighing frustrated. Apparently something was making him uncomfortable.

"V, is there something wrong with your back?" She asked half curious, half amused. Her little mouth was red with candy colorant and he wondered what it would taste like exactly.

"Umm… just an itch. All that dust probably" He admitted sincerely with what sounded like embarrassment.

"Is it bad?" She had the nerve to ask just to hear him admit to being uncomfortable.

V fell completely into character and shook his head with frustration "Actually it's enough to drive a man mad!"

"I've heard scratching helps, V". She could almost swear the mask now turned fully to face her threatened to swallow her whole. They stood frozen like that for several seconds and then V looked away very much annoyed at the itch and at Evey as well, but trying very hard to keep his frustration in check.

"I cannot reach it," He admitted.

Evey laughed and laughed, letting cascade over the fine rug the handful of films she'd been holding. V was gracious enough to wait until she'd stopped laughing, all the time attentive to her reactions, and in return she took pity on him.

"I'll take care of it." she declared with a smile and patted the spot on the rug right in front of her, "Come here" she added when he hesitated, apparently considering something of great importance. Finally V surrendered and settled on the rug offering his back. Evey reached out with her right hand and tentatively scratched right in the middle of V's strong back, which startled him even when he was expecting it.

"Here?" She asked solicitous.

"I…a little to the right". Said the still insecure voice behind the mask. Evey moved her hand to the right in search for the troublesome area. "Here?"

V seemed to need a moment to know for sure and then requested she scratched half an inch up, and then one inch to the left, then a bit lower, and at the end he wasn't really sure anymore but he was certain he still itched. Evey thought it was hilarious and rolled up her sleeves to really get to work.

"Very well, Mr. I-don't-know-where-I-itch, please lie down on your belly so we can do this properly". All of a sudden she feared he'd simply refuse but to her surprise he complied, probably just willing to do something to make the damned itching go away. Evey grinned and cracked her knuckles dramatically before reaching down to scratch gently at first, not wanting to hurt already abused skin.

V's reaction to those ten little yet sharp nails running over his skin all at the same time was delivered mostly in the form of hissing and when Evey asked if she was scratching to his liking he barely managed to whisper "Harder" or "Faster", which Evey easily granted. It wasn't long before she stopped needing directions since V decided to move and meet her nails, rather than expect her to discover exactly where he itched, something he claimed not being quite sure about in the first place.

It was perhaps a bit silly to sit like that on the rug and spend so much time scratching his back but Evey was fascinated at her newest discovery, after all it wasn't a common thing for any girl to have an assassin of such talent and reserve, lying on a rug and behaving like that, for V seemed to be enjoying it far too much, purring and moving to guide her fine nails toward new areas that also needed attention, hissing behind the mask whenever a very sensitive spot was reached.

Evey was very amused but then it hit her that this was more than a simple act of solidarity, and she was actually being allowed to touch someone who even when refused to feel sorry for himself, seemed to be very little used to physical pleasure and far too familiar with pain. She made a conscious effort to follow his brave example and it was enough to seduce her into trying even harder to please him.

Evey was even reminded of happier childhood days when she could actually play with a real living cat and the main difference was that the one currently wriggling on the floor was a much larger beast, a black demon with silk and velvet fur that surprisingly rolled over, undone and silently asking for his belly to be scratched as well. All too good to be true.

Evey was becoming quite aware of his devious ways and suspected it was all a test but still was determined to continue, thinking he'd lose interest if she panicked and stopped. The girl decided that if she was being tested, she might as well return the favor, besides V was putting up such a show that she wished she had a camera at hand.

She kept scratching for a short while and with a mischievous smile her hands moved to tickle V's flanks. As she hoped, her black demon gasped and then indulged in one of his rare yet precious giggling episodes. Evey kept tickling until she thought he'd pass out and stopped for long enough to ask him if he was high on something again.

V stopped moving about, the wig still firmly secured but already in desperate need for a brush, and he had the nerve to consider the matter for a moment before shouting "No!" to start giggling again in an even higher pitch, trying to cover the mask's mouth with his gloved hands.

Evey let him have his way and tickled him for a bit longer, never forgetting her previous intent of conducting an experiment of her own now that she had V right there on the rug, complete and unexpectedly at her disposal.

Little by little the tickling grew more delicate until she was effectively stroking sides, belly, chest, shoulders. V noticed the change at once but if by then he still had any complaints or reservations, he refrained from saying anything, being so busy realizing how tense he'd previously been and how much he was enjoying the attention.

Those little hands weren't making any attempt to remove or even disturb any piece or garment and V felt so strangely comfortable that he let her keep on touching him. He couldn't remember being caressed ever before by someone else and it surprised him that the feeling of being touched was so different to what he was familiar with.

A voice inside his head kept saying "Don't stop, don't stop, Evey don't stop…" and he no longer cared that the voice sounded so much like his. Evey felt strong muscles releasing all remaining tension under her hands and the purring resumed but now on a much deeper key, giggling all but forgotten and replaced with soft panting, the once frantic moving around already turned into a languid and slow dance, limbs stretched out, back arching, even the frozen porcelain expression seeming different, shining warmly under the dimmed lights.

Evey almost expected to catch a glimpse of the mask closing its eyes in pleasure. The thought of letting her hands become bolder now that V was so obviously enraptured crossed Evey's mind and she couldn't stop wondering what would be like to get rid of those clothes and really touch him, or at least slip her hands under the garments to deliver gentle touches as far as she could reach but she feared betraying the trust he was giving her so unexpectedly and she didn't want to go any further without his clear consent either, test or no test.

She took a moment to contemplate her work with satisfaction but her mind was already set on putting an end to the session before a clumsy move ruined everything they'd both gained up to that point so with one last lingering stroke from hip to shoulder she moved up his body to whisper in his ear; "There's so much more for you. Let me know when you are ready for it."

She allowed herself to stress her point by means of a gentle bite delivered to a strong shoulder, which was rewarded with a shudder from the body lying beneath her. She stood up with a seductive smile in her lips, looking straight at the mask. V sighed and looked away, perhaps a little embarrassed, perhaps considering the offer, both most likely.

Evey wished him sweet dreams with her warmest voice, not wanting to make him feel rejected or even worse, forced. She turned around to find her room and her bed. Four, five steps on that direction and a shy voice stopped her;

"Evey?"

She stopped and slowly looked over her shoulder to find him in the same position, still not looking at her but obviously not offended in the least since the tip of his fingers moved slowly to retrace the designs she'd previously created over him.

"Yes, V?"

"Soon."


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

**Dreams and drugs**

V had meant it when he'd uttered a plain word; soon. He'd spent the last week trying to digest what had happened but in reality he was still on overload so an abstract concept such as "soon" could well imply days or weeks. It had taken him over an hour just to get up from the rug and walk, something he was proud of since for a minute he thought he'd have to crawl all the way to his room, something he found quite undesirable.

That torture session kept playing in his head in amazing colors and kept him awake for the next forty eight hours. He could recall not only images and sounds but with a little effort it was easy to add vivid recollections of his physical and emotional reactions in such a way that it was almost like being there again.

Sometimes he'd relive it from beginning to end in almost real time, using his hands to mimic as closely as possible what Evey had done to his body once she'd stopped tickling him. Sometimes select moments were explored with further detail over and over because he'd found something there that was either very pleasant or disturbing, all in an effort to assimilate it and control it.

He'd grown used to indulging on favorite sequences he'd reward himself with after finding and defusing what made him uncomfortable and he couldn't help elaborating on what he could remember, which only multiplied and enriched his sessions of self-pleasuring.

He'd also tried to draw reliable mental maps based on Evey's body language hoping to fall within her and see and feel things from her perspective but his own sensations were still too distracting to attempt it successfully. He was used to reading people like that; he could feel to some degree what they were feeling, based on the way they moved, the sound of their voices, dozens of other little things that betrayed their inner worlds. Usually it was a matter of life or death and he had to calculate with absolute precision what the opponent would do. Being fast wasn't enough; he needed a focus and a reason to move.

Evey confused him regardless of how obvious her flirting seemed to be, no doubt one of the inconveniences of being the focus of her attention. The trees did not let him see the forest. He'd have to wait to practice that sort of empathy stunt no matter how curious he could be but from what he'd been able to read on the first layer, she had thoroughly enjoyed it, which improved the chances of having another exchange of similar –if not more intense- potential. Early on he wondered if he had behaved properly and then it worried him not to be fluent on such protocol. He thought it wouldn't be polite to ask Evey about such things and couldn't remember if any of his precious books explored that subject.

He wasn't sleeping as many hours as he should but when he managed to, he'd dream. His dreams had changed as well; instead of taking place in her room everything would move to his own bedroom, where bears and dolls were not allowed, except as silent witnesses. He could see those two sitting on top of the armoire, seeing and hearing everything like surveillance cameras. They did not move or make a sound but they still seemed to be very much alive, enjoying the show. V almost expected them to boo or applaud.

While awake he usually tried to keep up with his schedule and devote the rest of his time to recall everything as it had happened but his dreams expanded and modified real events, taking them farther. Those dreams were not really trying to deliver a message; their goal was to show him some sort of menu of things he might like to try in the future and he had already taken careful notes, just in case. Even on this his mind was focused on blueprints and logistics.

V could recall five or six different "scripts" already and although they were all different, there were common elements to all of them; light had almost been banished from his room and all seemed quiet and peaceful. Apparently they had already reached some sort of agreement in terms of boundaries to respect so they were relaxed and confident; not having to worry about what could go wrong. Evey would always take the lead with his permission, always respecting his limits and paying attention to his reactions to make sure he was comfortable.

She'd go slowly at first but she'd find no resistance to remove his clothing before making him lie down to continue touching him gently with her small and cool hands, pouring some of his favorite oil here and there to explore him in search of sensitive spots she could exploit. He'd choose when to take off the mask and that was one of the few non-negotiable things he could think of. It was a task that even in that dream reality involved its own ritual that only he could perform.

Twice already she'd slipped one finger past his lips to rub the roof of his mouth so delicately and with such remarkable skill that she would not tickle him but keep him mesmerized and unable to move instead, completely hooked on the strange feeling and moaning his approval. At other times she'd stroke him slowly for as long as he'd want, whispering in his ear that she loved to touch him. Once she'd spent a good deal of time caressing him and then sucking on his fingers before showing him how to slide them inside her to prepare her for further mischief. He was still waiting for a second showing of that one, hopefully with its sequel.

V wondered what would have happened if instead of saying "soon," he'd said "now". He could have easily said that and there was little doubt that such statement would have opened paths on all directions, all apparently enjoyable. No, from what his recent dreams implied, she would have killed him with pleasure, that if she didn't break him for good; he was sure of it. Some things had to be done with extreme caution.

The next morning she'd seemed remarkably pleased with herself and displaying that puzzling calmness of those who know their prey has no place to hide and will be within easy reach once it's tired of running. She wasn't exactly bragging but she allowed herself one single display of success and dominance over him; she poked him in the arm, barely touching him. The brief contact made his sleep-deprived body shiver but she didn't use that against him; she settled for standing a little closer once convinced he was still interested and looked up at the mask, licking her lips like a miniature panther with an expression that said "Just. Say. When." before turning around to leave him to his thoughts.

After that she did not attempt to touch him in any way and her shameless teasing behind closed doors stopped but she kept a relaxed attitude, already knowing he was interested but not wanting to push on the matter, something he'd already proven. Evey had even stopped wearing that infamous top she had favored so much and her laundry hamper was suffering the mysterious absence of underwear he could borrow to satisfy that harmless kink of his. More than a handful of times he'd put himself on a vulnerable position to see if she'd touch him again but she wouldn't, and if in the recent past her playful harassment had driven him mad, now the lack of it had a similar effect.

One afternoon they were in the kitchen, just chit-chatting over different kinds of cake and after a while his attempts at being touched had resulted in a very amused and blushing Evey cornered and against a wall because he'd insisted on invading her personal space one inch at a time, unconsciously believing that then she would finally touch him, even if just to get him off her face but she'd simply moved away one inch of her own until they'd ran out of room.

He shook his head when he realized why he'd cornered her and it was frustrating that she still wouldn't touch him. She settled for looking up at him with the same seductive and challenging expression and for a moment he thought something would happen then and there but she simply waited until he moved away to let her pass after what seemed a lifetime. It was clear she would not only let him choose the time and the moment to continue with the next stage; she wanted him to come forth and earn it. He had to admit it was a most anarchistic attitude. She also knew it was just a matter of time and he'd become her favorite hobby.

After that Evey made sure he knew she was receptive by using the simplest and most clear signs –it was curious that they would not discuss the matter openly- so if he wanted to talk, she'd talk, if he cooked for her everything in her plate would quickly disappear, even what she wasn't especially fond of. If he needed some room she'd let him go out or hide in any corner he'd see fit without pestering him with questions and she would welcome him when he decided to be social again, something not easily done given his current stress. He tried really hard not to snap at her but eventually he did over the most stupid things and her answer would be an impish smile or a suggestive stare that would sweep him from head to toes and would make him blush and forget what he was angry about in the first place.

His latest dreams were delicious but there were blanks he could not fill simply because he did not remember performing a good deal of actions common to others. He could imagine what things felt like but it wasn't the same and his inquisitive mind kept nagging him. V found it curious that what bothered him the most wasn't the blank covering the entire intercourse thing, no. What he was most curious about was in fact kissing. Of course he knew how it was supposed to work and he'd also seen hundreds of kisses before. He'd seen them in movies, in surveillance tapes, out in the street but none of those kisses had been his, not one of them, and now he wanted his own kiss. He should have one of those, too.

Before Larkhill he could have been the biggest whore in the whole of The United Kingdom of Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the rest of the Commonwealth, thank you very much, a thought that amused him quite a bit and after all those years he was still trying to decide if he would have done it for money or just for sport. But after his second birth, he'd been thrown into the world with massive blanks in his mind which included even kissing. How appropriate; a vengeful virgin vigilante.

Yes, a kiss would be enough to satisfy his curiosity for now and then he could focus on his work once more. There where other things, of course, but they could wait a bit longer. He had to think on how to phrase his request in such a way that she wouldn't be able to say no. He also had to figure out what was the best time to remind her all he was supposed to do was let her know when he was ready for more. And then, what? She'd go ahead and please him or just tease him even more?

On the other hand, things had never been so interesting, at least not like this. It was slightly disturbing to find out how much of an individual he still was, with his own likes and dislikes that did not give a damn about politics and vengeance, even to the point of displaying a slight disposition toward amusing little perversions. He was still getting used to the idea of embracing that side of his nature with no reservations.

He had so much to ponder but the dreams disturbed his rest and exhaustion only made him unstable and even more confused. He really needed a good night's rest and as much as he enjoyed his current dreams, he knew they would not leave him be and as tired as he was, he wasn't even close to collapsing yet. Perhaps he should take something to sleep without dreams, just for a short while until he recovered and not for long enough to develop habit. Yes, that was reasonable.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**Victory through surrender**

V found it must unnerving that unlike him, Evey could always find excuses to touch him and even when she decided –not- to touch him, she'd still manage to keep him obsessed with touching, just the way she'd done for the last week and a half. He didn't know if she actually created opportunities to make him jump with the tip of one finger or if she simply took advantage of every opening he offered. Oh, that last one would imply that he kept… offering. Is that was he was doing? Was he unconsciously offering himself like a virgin whore?

He wondered what he would look like from Evey's perspective; he expected to be seen as an elegant and desirable well-read gentleman but he suspected that wasn't all Evey saw. He'd caught her staring at him more than once, narrowing her eyes and licking her lips. She looked at him as if he were a tender morsel, cooking slowly but almost ready to be eaten. And she wouldn't even need a fork. Would she play with her food? Would she nibble on him? Would she swallow him whole? He was shocked at finding such thoughts so amusing but he was still trying to learn from his rag doll teacher, so easy-going and fond of merriment, pillow talk and vibrators. The hedonistic bastard.

The first time he'd mimicked the behavior of such teacher he'd gotten more than expected and one short week of frenetic eroticism and insomnia proved it had really happened. Granted he was still annoyed at Evey because she would not touch him and he was twice as annoyed because he couldn't find a good excuse to take the lead and touch her as the silent agreement seemed to command. He couldn't even look at her in secret because she sensed it and that only added points to her favor.

But at the end it wasn't even a contest; he was supposed to enjoy what was going on, was he not? A beautiful girl was determined to eat him right up and there were more things to life than murder and explosives. He'd spent too much time with himself, apparently. On the other hand, Evey seemed to have put her "normal life" on pause and not having something better to do and regardless of her involuntary withdrawal from the world, she was enjoying the chase. It reminded him of a movie… Oh yes, he would represent the very stunned Cameron and Evey was… damn, Evey was Ferris Bueller…

"Ferris" had decided to take a bath before watching Gordon Dietrich's show and was now sitting on the leather couch, with a thick towel wrapped around her head and wearing one of her infamous shirts, rubbing in her favorite orange blossom body lotion, something she should have done –in theory- in the bathroom or in her room but her bath had lasted more than expected and she didn't want to miss one minute of Gordon's silliness.

At least that's what the official story stated; V suspected "Ferris" did it just to feed a poor masked man's obsession in the comfort of home, while she watched television next to him. He could have left, he was free to do whatever he wanted but he chose to stay and face his destiny with courage and good humor.

She was done with her arms and poured a good amount of lotion in her hand to continue with her bare legs. V suspected she'd spend more time than necessary rubbing that lotion in. Very well, she was flirting again. He decided to continue with the teachings of a doll and flirt back. Of course he wasn't going to put up a show, spreading out his feathers like a peacock. No, he had his own style. Once more he'd become the enemy, he'd mimic, he'd reflect, he'd conquer.

V sighed content and leaned back on the couch, stretching out his long legs and letting his arms rest comfortably on the back of the leather couch, not touching Evey, not even trying to. He let his breathing follow a slow and deep pace, letting tension abandon his body. He wanted to be near a light trance to attempt flirting his way. If she could sense when he stared at her or when he was in a seductive mood because he broadcasted his energy, there was no reason for her not to pick it up if he did it on purpose to get her attention.

Little by little he summoned images to his mind, one at a time to make sure they were clear. Out of them he picked one memory he'd collected a week and a half ago and that he liked very much; that of Evey caressing his belly with lazy devotion. He focused on feeling what he'd felt that evening, lying on the rug, with those small hands on him, making him tremble. It was very easy to accomplish and once he'd done it, he breathed out slowly, releasing the feeling into the room, letting it find its way to Evey.

V enjoyed his recollection, letting it fill him with warm sensuality and before it abandoned his body completely, chose another, this time a very personal one; his excitement at stealing her unmentionables to then hide in his room and play with the delicate garments. Of course she wouldn't be able to actually "see" anything in her mind but the feel of it seemed to charge the air around them. V sighed and for the second time, released a wave of pleasure.

Evey was busy with her lotion and it took her a while to notice the subtle change in the air but her motions finally slowed and the television seemed to have lost some of its charm. She appeared to be listening to something that eluded her. There, she couldn't fight what she couldn't even find.

Time for a third little present, wrapped in warmth and slightly dirty thoughts. V thought she'd like something different this time; perhaps something focused on her. That would require a little more effort from him since he'd have to modify things slightly. For this he'd picked that portion of a dream including her and a naughty doll, this time replaced by the real person it represented, purring filth in her ear and making liberal use of a certain pink toy…

Evey squirmed in her seat, unable to concentrate on the show or the body lotion she was supposed to be rubbing in. She seemed to be a little hot in that t-shirt as well and the pinkness in her cheeks had very little to do with her recent bath. She tore the towel from her head, probably blaming it for the change in temperature and tossed it on the stone floor, having remembered the rugs had not been weaved by a machine and therefore deserved more respect than a wet towel abandoned on them.

She tried to appear in control but kept crossing and uncrossing her legs, at the same time not knowing exactly what to do with her hands, which in a way amused her. She didn't know why but she was in a very good mood. There, he'd proved his point; it was perfectly feasible to use his will alone to turn Evey Hammond on. It was better than making her fall asleep on her feet and improved his chances of success.

"Evey, about the other night…" V started, still on that placid state he had reached.

"Yes?"

"You know, here." meaning the television room. "On the rug…"

"Mmhmm…"

"I enjoyed it." There, he'd said it. What the hell, perhaps being a little more forward was just what the situation called for and she wouldn't know he was blushing anyway.

"I know you did." She acknowledged with a sly smile, glancing at him briefly and refusing to take the bait she was offered, supposed to make her reveal her thoughts about that evening.

"You enjoy teasing me." He pointed out, not accusing but simply stating an evident truth.

"Yes but not as much as I enjoy actually touching you." She admitted with perfect candor and when she'd felt like it, the shameless little bitch, V thought. She had no trouble saying such things to him, right in his face and now looking straight at him, the television already forgotten. He thought he had been in control so far but on this particular subject she was the professional talking to the amateur and she'd just rearranged the hierarchy to show him who was in charge. But he didn't care, his heart was beating faster and just listening to her saying she enjoyed touching him made up for a whole lot of things and he still wanted his kiss.

"You have avoided touching me for days already. I checked." It slipped out his mouth, it just did. Evey could have laughed at his confession but she didn't and reached for his hand instead, pulling at it gently, removing his arm from the back of the couch to place it on her lap.

"True, I wanted to encourage you to respond in kind but you didn't. I could tell you wanted to but you wouldn't, not even when you had me against a wall." She said while turning his hand to caress palm and fingers with tender devotion, not really expecting a coherent explanation. Her body language was subtle and complex but V could still tell she wasn't exactly disappointed but curious mostly. She probably thought she was dealing with someone with at least some experience, someone who would react by engaging in an exchange of touches and signals, something he had failed to accomplish so far.

"But now I'm touching you again. Better?" She asked with no trace of arrogance, at once offering to continue where they'd left off and looking for his consent. V nodded and abandoned his hand to her care, feeling slightly foolish for not following protocol but immensely happy for being touched again. Evey smiled and reached for the remote to turn the volume down. Gordon's show was over and she wanted something playing on the background to break the silence but the jukebox was too far away and she didn't want to abandon her favorite anarchist, especially now that he seemed to be meditating, relaxed and alert at the same time. The news was on but nobody seemed interested, at least not on the television.

Evey focused on her task, the tip of her little fingers practiced drawing circles in the palm of V's hand, moving slowly from the outside to the inside in tighter and tighter patterns, until she reached the center by then intensely charged and warm with living energy. Once there her gentle touch changed into something as gentle as a breeze, teasing an already sensitized area and making him shiver with pleasure.

V lost track of time and settled for enjoying without thinking or questioning what he was feeling but eventually he tried to be a little more aware of his surroundings. He had to make an effort to focus after the last little explosion to glance at the clock and noted that Evey had spent at least the last 20 minutes tormenting him, repeating the process over and over, once in a while removing her attention from his palm to then focus on his fingers, obviously to let him rest and keep him from reaching the point of numbness.

Such a clever little torturer she was. Of course he could reclaim his own hand, could he not? No, he had already tried and his mind didn't seem able to order his body to do anything but stay there, shivering and humming with warmth. V didn't know where she'd learned how to do that but when she touched his hand and made him shiver, a good deal of things stopped having any importance. But there was something he had to tell her, something that did matter…

"Evey, would you…" The little vampire certainly seemed satisfied with her mischief, fully enjoying being able to touch him again, smiling and looking up just at the right time to watch him tremble at the end of each cycle of torture. She liked it twice as much when he gasped. He'd never told her his senses were slightly different from hers, or anyone else's, but she'd already discovered on her own that what worked on regular people, doubled for him.

She worked him so gently that it took V most of those 20 minutes of torture to realize that she could perfectly make him reach completion just by touching his hand. It was tempting, so tempting. Another twenty minutes and he'd be there anyway. Perhaps if he surrendered and let her continue, his current suffering would end sooner.

"Would I what, V?" She asked with a smile. Then he remembered he wasn't even finished making his request. He had been unable to make it that far. He looked at her and the smile in her lips was his downfall. If he had seen any smugness there, any trace of manipulation, he would have snapped back into control and then she'd lose her grip over him. Although, he did not see any of that; in fact she seemed just as enthralled. Her cheeks were flustered and her pupils were so dilated that her eyes seemed to be black, not brown.

She did enjoy touching him. He'd already convinced himself of it but he'd yet to see it so clearly. Perhaps it wasn't too early after all and she would agree to his request after all.

"Evey…" He managed at the end, deciding that a possible refusal was the worst thing that could happen at that point and even that would break the status quo that until very recently had kept him up at night and filled his sleep with uneasy dreams –if- he finally slept at all.

"Evey, would you… kiss me?"


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10**

**One little peck**

"Evey, would you… kiss me? There, it was out and just that made him feel relieved, regardless of her answer.

"Kiss you?" She'd heard him perfectly well the first time.

"Yes. Kiss me." It was a bit easier to think now that she'd stopped caressing his hand, although he was still as excited.

"Kiss you as in –kiss you-? Apparently she knew thousands of variations to kissing.

"Yes."

"I'd love to."

He almost knew she'd say no but still had to ask. It wasn't dishonorable to turn down a request of such nature so early on and he had no right to be offended, after all they were still getting used to having the other around. He would have to try some other time, maybe in a month or two after he'd figured out how to tempt her. He asked because he had to ask; uncertainty drove him mad. On top of that he still had to perfect the logistics it would involve if she said yes. She said she'd…love to? V looked at her just in time to see her lacing her fingers between his and standing up, obviously expecting him to follow her. His mind was still confused but apparently hers was sharper than usual and since she was fully in charge, all he could do was obey. He stood up and waited for her instructions.

"But not here" She added while looking around as if they were standing at a busy street corner. "You'll have your privacy" And headed for her room, dragging him behind her. He didn't know what she intended to do but she seemed determined to make the transition as smooth as possible for both. She pulled him into her bedroom and released his hand to conduct a quick search, making sure every light was off as she briefed him on what would happen next.

"Rules of the house for the evening, sir; no light except what comes in from the hall, no touching above the neck except the strictly necessary for kissing, that kinky wig stays, and its partner goes." She meant the mask, obviously.

"As for the rest, I'm sure we'll manage" She added with more than a hint of promise and mischief. "Are we in agreement, then? V had to admit Evey was well ahead of him adapting to his special needs, respecting his wishes and at the same time not making it sound as if it were a burden. She must have planned the whole thing in advance. Did she also say the wig was kinky…?

"Yes." He was so nervous but everything was perfect. It would be a shame to ruin it.

"Excellent. The door will stay ajar to let just a bit of light in. I'm sure you wouldn't want me to end up kissing someone else instead, would you?" She was enjoying the moment and V couldn't help but let go some of his tension. Once the room was practically dark, she took his hand and gently pulled him behind the door where light was less likely to become an annoyance.

Evey rested her hands on his waist and asked him for the last time if he was sure he wanted to go ahead. He could say no, her tone said. Even then he could say no and walk out of there with his dignity intact –and his wish unfulfilled- to maybe try again some other time or he could stay, be very uncomfortable for a short while and leave that room with something to be proud of, plus a kiss from Evey.

"I am sure about this." The calmness in his voice surprised him, considering how nervous and aroused he was but all of a sudden it did not seem a task so difficult to achieve. Evey nodded and turned around to give him even more privacy, even in the dark.

"Whenever you are ready." It was so final, so simply put. She didn't even need to be blunt about what she was talking about. V waited for a moment, as if he were saying farewell to part of his life and with practiced ease undid the fastenings that kept his porcelain face in place. He held it in his hand for a few seconds and abandoned it atop the pile of books to his right.

"I'm ready." He declared, and his voice sounded even warmer than before. Evey turned around and in one fluid motion used her weight to push him against the wall. V panicked for a second, not having expected her to do that. If she was pressed against him like that she would notice what state he was in, there was no way she wouldn't feel it. Oh, she'd just felt it and… approved. At least that's what her rubbing against him translated as. She very much approved. She draped her slim arms loosely around his waist well within the safe zone as promised and paused to focus on that kiss exclusively. There would be time for further torture later.

Evey could feel on her cheek his warm, ragged breath and tried nuzzling his chin, just to feel her way around. The neckpiece concealed most of it and it was difficult to find much detail but she could tell it was delicate yet firm, very much like the mask. The skin felt slightly different but it was warm and it was his, and that was enough to make it right, especially in the dark, that marvelous concealing dark.

She tried a bit higher and found a little nose, yes, she was just where she wanted and everything seemed to be in place. Sometimes she wasn't even sure they belonged to the same species. She wanted to reach up and touch him, to break her own rule and just get an obstacle out of the way already but he trusted her so she couldn't, not without his permission. Instead she pressed the tip of her nose to his, to give him a chance to get used to having her so close without the mask, which must have been just as strange to him.

His breath was warm, and Evey enjoyed spending a few moments just breathing the same air. She could have stayed like that for far longer but V was waiting with his arms around her, trembling with anticipation. Evey tilted her head and pressed her moist lips to his, making sure she wasn't going to fast. He couldn't move, he just stood there frozen, letting her explore his lips slow and carefully. He didn't even know his body was already enjoying the experience.

Evey took pity on him and ran her hands up and down his back to relax his muscles and help him out of his stupor. She broke the kiss briefly to let V find some order within his mind. Soon he looked down at her wondering if his wish had just been fulfilled without him being there to appreciate it and Evey charged again, repeating the slow exploration and then adding a little more. This time V knew what to expect and even made shy attempts to respond. His lips were warm and Evey regretted he had not asked for a kiss before. She ventured to deliver a playful lick and it startled him enough to make him laugh nervously.

"What was that?" Apparently he had recovered the ability to speak just to prove beyond any shadow of a doubt that even when he had at his disposal immense amounts of knowledge, he'd never kissed anyone before. At least he didn't seem to remember. Evey wasn't cruel enough to rub it in his now naked face and was twice as determined to make it as pleasant as possible for both.

"Come here and I'll show you again" She challenged him affectionately and he pleased her, far more relaxed and willing to enjoy stage three of the kiss, step by step and from the top. She licked him again and although he still couldn't respond properly, he didn't recoil either. Her tongue delivered gentle touches that tickled and sent little shivers down to his belly. Evey broke the kiss again to make sure he was comfortable and V groaned his displeasure for her stopping.

"Do you like it?" She asked just because she could and a wigged head nodded emphatically. "Would you like some more?" She was barely finished saying that when V's mouth was already on hers. Very nice, she thought. V had just figured out he could reciprocate and he didn't seem willing to break contact again so his arms pulled her tighter against his chest. The girl had to admit kissing V was extremely pleasurable and considered it proper to deliver the next lesson of the night.

Evey waited for the right moment when he was licking her and opened her mouth to lick him back. He moaned deeply and his knees gave briefly under him when he felt her tongue playing with his and slipping into his mouth to explore him slowly. Then he was lost again, conscious but too focused on her to think on anything else except the pleasure.

He let her do as she pleased, he would have let her slit his throat with his own knives if she'd wanted to …and then it was over. Evey let him go with one last peck and settled for caressing the small of his back, just waiting for his reaction, getting away with tracing that indecent curve of his with the tip of her fingers.

"That's it?" The complaint was out before he could stop it and the slip made him blush and feel like a complete fool. It wasn't fair that after all that trouble his kiss had ended so quickly. It was –his- kiss and it should have lasted much longer; at least until he thought it had been enough.

"You asked for a kiss, I gave you a kiss. More than once, actually" It was true; he had no way to argue. "So, did you like it?" The little vampire enjoyed teasing him even then; that much was obvious. He was dizzy, unable to think. He didn't know if he'd answered her question. Sometimes he could not tell if she was curious or simply having fun tormenting him. It saddened him deeply to think that his kiss, his only kiss, could have been after all nothing more than a little girl's game.

"Yes, thank you." There was no reason to be rude, especially if he wasn't sure about her but he was again behind the mask without even having to put it back on. "I should go." God, he hadn't meant to sound so hurt but it was too late, she'd heard him. One more point for her, something to be really proud of. He didn't want to play anymore, she was the undisputable winner. To the victor the spoils.

He recovered his abandoned mask and gently pushed her away to put it back on and leave the room. He'd decide what to do later. "The hell you will" She declared with a voice that couldn't possibly fit inside such a tiny body. "No, sir, I've done a great job and you are not leaving this room until we are even. Did you like the way I kissed you?" This wasn't a little vampire, this was a demon, you couldn't show fear to demons.

"Of course I liked the way you kissed me."

"Good, then you owe me and I want to be paid in kind. Kiss me. Now."

He heard what she'd said but couldn't understand the meaning of her words. "Unless you don't want to kiss me, that is." She added with a touch of spice, knowing perfectly well that he was dying for another kiss.

"Whenever you are ready." She said for the second time on one night, and relaxed against him, offering her parted lips, just waiting for him to take the lead. Can't show fear to demons, V heard inside his head and disengaged to focus entirely on showing her how well he'd learned his first lessons. He didn't notice when his hand put the mask once more where it had been before, atop the pile of books but he knew she tasted like his favorite tea, the one with jasmine flowers…

It was liberating to know what he was doing and to be in control. He knew she was still in charge, he knew she could snatch all power from him if she wanted but she let him taste her, explore her, show her what he wanted as soon as he'd discovered it himself. Then he found his kiss, the one he'd asked for and feared she had taken away from him. He was lost but still where he was supposed to be and time passed at a slower pace, his pace.

She even granted him one last wish; she let him choose when and how to end it. V delayed the moment for as long as he felt was right and then lingered on the border, taking his time to feel every stage of –his- kiss. He didn't regret it when it ended; in more than one way it felt more like a pause, a prelude for other things. He didn't want to think on that, there would be time for it later.

Evey waited for his reaction, no being able to see much in the dark of her room. He seemed content, though, relaxed and still very interested according to what his body was telling so clearly, something to focus on later. After all they were just getting started. She'd make sure of that.

She rubbed against him to remind him she was still there, which seemed to work to some degree.

"Hi…"

One just had to smile; the great actor, the avenger, the master of big words had managed to say hi. Perhaps it was a bit premature to ask for a complete review, something she wasn't about to annoy him with.

"Hi" She replied as she caressed his back.

"I'm exhausted…"

"Too exhausted for more?" She teased him one last time, already guessing what his answer would be.

"No." V didn't waste time and ventured to take his turn at exploring her like he'd just been taught. The little vampire still had cards up her sleeves and soon after he seemed to be growing too comfortable, added a new trick and instead of simply letting him kiss her, captured his tongue with her lips to suck on it gently. V didn't know how to respond to that but she seemed perfectly capable of handling it and he considered it proper to follow her lead and let her do as she pleased, barely aware of the fire burning inside him, the fire he only felt when… Oh, he was close, so close but he'd asked for just a kiss and nothing more. He couldn't possibly expect her to… satisfy him. She'd be furious if he took advantage of the kissing to let things get that far, she'd never forgive him such deceit and then he'd lose everything he'd suffered for. No, he just couldn't do that. They had to stop and now. He should tell her, he had to tell her. If only she stopped rubbing against him, if only she stopped stroking him…

Panic, sheer panic. That little devil with pigtails distracted him with the kissing and as promised kept her hands below the neck but below his waist also. V broke the kiss to stare at her silhouette in the dark, unable to comprehend how she'd managed to undo the fastenings on the breeches but quite frankly he was too damned glad about it to complain. Evey had asked if he wanted more anyway and he had said, no, he had shown her that he did want more. Panic was just a mental state and at that point he didn't have much of a mind left. Her little hand squeezed him and he hissed, quickly forgetting about modesty and excuses.

Evey stopped and looked up to make sure he wasn't mad at her for going too far. "Should I stop?"

"Don't…"

"Don't what, V? Don't touch you –or- don't stop touching you?" She asked playfully in his ear, squeezing a bit harder than before to stress her point. A deep moan resounded deep in his chest and he had to look away a little embarrassed for slipping like that and for being unable to hide how painfully aroused he was.

Evey was an open channel, her undivided attention was centered on V and on taking careful note of every tremor and every moan she could tear from him. She pressed harder against him, pushing his legs apart with her knee and gaining better access. And he was so tired of fighting, so very exhausted. He could not surrender before when it was his very soul Fate was gambling with but what about now? What could he possibly have to lose, his focus on revenge? He could have it all, couldn't he? He found it impossible to think clearly with those little hands working him with such skill, keeping him suspended between heaven and hell.

Oh, and what she couldn't reach under his clothes, she certainly could stimulate with her words. Yes, she'd learned one or two things from her masked teacher. He should be proud of her, shouldn't he? V found it deliciously sadistic that she would whisper in his ear a detailed chronicle of what it was like to fondle him and how much she enjoyed it, point she found necessary to prove by reaching down inside her panties to then lick her very wet fingers right before kissing him again to give him a fresh sample of her juices, making him look desperately for places on the wall behind him he could cling to but still faithful to her promise of not touching him above the neck except for kissing. Her hands didn't let go but stopped stroking him a second time to gain his attention.

"So, should I stop touching you now?"

Little by little he realized he had already made his choice and he wanted to scream and he wanted to tell her that if she stopped now, if she deserted him and didn't catch him at the end of the fall, he'd break on the inside, this time to never heal.

"You'll kill me if you do…"

He almost sobbed with relief when she went back to stroking him, even if she did it at a slower pace, as if thinking. Evey stared at him with a curious expression no one could see in her darkened room, part concern and part enlightenment, as if she'd just figured out how to operate a loaded assault rifle. Perhaps V had managed somehow to make her understand what he was going though. Perhaps he'd even managed to say the words.

Evey nodded her understanding and used much of her weight to hold him against the wall. "Yes!" Was all she had to say and took him by the wrists to drag him as quickly as possible next to her bed and then give him a very undignified push that made him land unceremoniously on his back and across the mattress, something neither cared about.

That was just what V needed to finally abandon himself and let a warm mouth surround him and take away his pain. Evey hurried, skipping all flourish. There was no need to keep V on the edge for much longer and there would be time later for delicacies. The desperate body beneath her grew more and more tense, V no longer caring if he moaned and begged. It was strangely liberating to realize that Evey gave exactly what he asked for and if he asked for more, he didn't have to wait for long to have it. Fire, he was on fire again but where once was pain, now he found only pleasure engulfing him and making his ears buzz. V was resigned to die of it and with the very first spasms he thought he was crossing over and that it was taking him an eternity to do so, which at the same time no longer mattered.

Then he was once more aware of the busy little vampire between his legs. He looked down and it occurred to him that it didn't seem possible that such a small mouth could swallow him whole like that. He groaned his admiration when he figured out exactly what Evey was doing and since he wasn't dying after all, the only other reasonable things to do were laugh as hard as he could remembering his morsel musings and shudder in Evey's mouth until he was empty and incapable of moving.

A playful bite to his neck reminded him there were vampires in the world and the greediest of all was currently straddling him and rubbing against his chest. Obviously he wasn't very good at fighting vampires.

"Hello there" Said a pretty voice somewhere near. He tried saying something but nothing coherent came out. The voice giggled and granted him a moment to collect his very few remaining thoughts before talking again. "V…" She whispered in his ear and made him shiver. He was definitely in the hands of a demon. "V, I love your taste…" Oh God, more sweet torment and he couldn't even move. He tried but the darkness inside the room was crawling inside his mind.

"Sleep…" He finally managed to whisper and the weight over him shifted, still giggling. He was vaguely aware of putting back on the mask someone pressed to the palm of his hand -something so firmly implanted in his mind that he would have done it even half-dead- and of Evey quite busy rearranging fastenings on his clothing before pulling the loud blanket up to his chin and saying something about having to take care of something herself because of people with bad bed manners. He had no idea of what "bad bed manners" meant or why she'd have to take care of anything when she could perfectly take a nap with him instead but he'd sure take care of the unnamed rascals in the morning, no matter how funny she thought their rudeness was.

For the time being there was nothing more he could do but marvel at what had just happened and let himself drift into sleep once he had finally achieved the physical likeness and spiritual enlightenment of a rag doll, thinking that he should also ask for another kiss as soon as possible.

End of part I


	11. Chapter 11

**NYMPHET**

**PART 11**

**CHAPTER 1**

**Muffins and Technicalities**

"Wake up!" Said an annoying voice, disturbing his rest and what had to be the best dream in the history of naughty dreams. The more he tried to ignore it, the more persistent the voice would become. V grunted and stirred; it was time to reposition his body and hide under the covers. Maybe that way the nagging voice wouldn't be able to find him and it would leave him alone to replay his dream yet again, at least his favorite parts. His schedule was flexible and he could afford staying a little longer in bed from time to time.

It was dark but what the dream lacked in visuals, it compensated with a world of physical sensations that stimulated his senses in delicious ways and if he ignored the growing need to visit the bathroom, everything seemed perfect; he was warm and comfortable, with his arms squeezing a small and soft body, surrounded by the familiar sounds of home, wrapped in the comforting embrace of darkness and a soft blanket so loud that almost shone in that dark, not to mention he was lying –across- a very familiar bed, that he was completely dressed including mask and boots, and that he reeked of sex, too. Yes, time to wake up, lad!

V's instincts returned from the land of dreams and used his senses to scan his surroundings automatically to make sure he was safe and alone. He was always buying time, always bargaining for the upper hand; that's what kept him alive. No, no danger in the vicinity. He had time to figure out what was going on. He yawned and stretched, letting his muscles tense to the point of trembling, like a cat after a long nap. He wanted desperately to crack every bone in his back but that would have to wait until he had everything under control. Then he remembered exactly where in his home he was and why he'd slept in a bed and a room that now belonged to someone else. He smiled, and grinned, and chuckled as the memories flooded his mind.

It hadn't been just a dream after all; this time he'd dreamed of things that had actually happened. He felt trapped between the excitement of accomplished mischief and mild embarrassment and his body could only express it by blushing. He'd blushed so much lately, hopefully he'd keep on doing it in the immediate future. His body had memory of its own and tingled wherever he had been touched the previous evening, making him giggle and squirm under the loud blanket.

He had to force himself to focus on his current situation, which included getting rid of the hated teddy bear he'd been holding for some reason. He let go of it and grabbed it by one leg to place it on the bed as far away from him as possible, not quite daring to throw it across the room and possibly break something or reveal his utter distaste for the toy. One vengeful thought crossed his mind and made him grin even wider; he'd certainly gotten far more than the bear and hoped to stay that way. There, the doll had beaten the bear and order had been restored to the universe, at least on the toys department.

He enjoyed his moment of victory and since he was already awake, he considered it sensible to think on his next move before he got carried away. Think ahead, three moves at least. Ignore the words, pay attention to actions. It was perfectly reasonable to think Evey was acting for purely hedonistic reasons –but- she could also be following her own personal agenda. Everyone had an agenda, sometimes there were no innocents. Trying to understand exactly why she did things was more complicated than he could manage first thing in the morning and he'd also learned it was useful to allow people carry on for a short while; usually they ended up blowing their own cover anyway.

So what to do next, he wondered, being practical again. He tried to remember the right protocol for situations like the one he was in and couldn't find anything that seemed satisfactory. He'd have to go out eventually and be social; after all he had invaded Evey's room and she would want it back, not to mention his bladder wasn't going to expand forever and he was famished as well. That led to another, more important question; where was Evey? She didn't know how to disable the security perimeter to go out and couldn't pick regular locks to enter rooms she wasn't supposed to visit either. That meant she had to be somewhere safe within the Shadow Gallery, probably busy with her chores or watching a film. He wasn't certain but it didn't seem polite that she should abandon him like that to the bear, to go about her business as if nothing of importance had happened just a few hours ago. At least he thought it had been important and felt a little cheated for waking up in the company of a toy he was jealous of, instead of waking up next to his… his what, lover? Guest? Prisoner? Friend? Pupil? Accomplice?

It didn't seem like a good idea to start worrying so soon and he tried to push all pessimistic thoughts into a small drawer in his mind, he tried not to fuss over the fact that after a quick exploration his hand determined that except for the spot he was lying on, the bed seemed quite cool and undisturbed. Perhaps he'd slept alone altogether, something that in a way was soothing to his sense of privacy but very uncomfortable for reasons he still couldn't name.

His senses reached farther outside the room, trying to paint a visual through sounds, vibrations and smells. Yes, the television set was on and he could smell cinnamon, no doubt coming from the kitchen. In the last years spices had become rare and difficult to find, even for him. There were substitutes but he could always tell the difference and Evey had certainly used real cinnamon, something she barely remembered before taking residence in his home. He hoped she was careful with the precious quills -literally worth their weight in gold- but after what she'd done to him, he probably would have let her light a cigarette with Mr. and Mrs. Arnolfini. Closer consideration to such idea made him shudder and he decided to try harder at keeping things in perspective.

He still couldn't locate Evey, which meant she was cheating on him with the telly, inside a room or… already at the threshold, nibbling on a cinnamon muffin and peeking inside to make sure he was still alive. A far from fresh guest didn't even want to imagine what he must look like and V was quite grateful for her not turning the lights on. The girl noticed movement on her bed at last and decided to greet him by hopping on it to settle next to him with her legs crossed, nibbled muffin still in hand. Her sticky fingers wrapped around his wrist and lifted his hand a few inches above the mattress to then release it and so evaluate his level of consciousness. It wasn't until the third attempt that his hand did not fall and only then she considered him capable of understanding human speech.

"Greetings sir" She whispered in his ear, apparently in excellent mood, wrapped in the smell of the spice and licking her fingers. At least she seemed pleased, a good sign considering he had taken over her room in a most inappropriate manner and wasn't ready to be seen in public at all. Her friendly behavior made him feel a bit more reassured, even if not completely reconciled with the thought of waking up alone. It wasn't as if she had to rush to work after all; she could have waited a little to at least say hello and be as untidy as he was. That if she'd slept there in the first place, something he wasn't sure of to begin with.

"Your breakfast…"

"Oh, don't worry about it, I managed with breakfast. And lunch." It was dark but he could tell she was grinning. Another bite of her cinnamon muffin disappeared in her mouth, that delicious little mouth.

"I beg your pardon? What time is it?" He sat up automatically, feeling with great degree of accuracy which points in his back would hurt for hours after spending so much time sleeping.

"It's still a little early for supper, sir. It seems you owed yourself a lot of sleep so I thought I shouldn't disturb you, and just checked on you every few hours."

"Where did you sleep exactly…?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I…would hate to think I displaced you." Just a little lie wouldn't hurt, he thought.

"Oh. No, you were no trouble at all. The bed is big enough anyway."

Great, she sounded so casual about the whole thing; she'd blown him senseless –almost- without his permission, took a nap, and then got up to do the laundry, cook, and watch television like any other day because after all he hadn't been any "trouble at all" and the world hadn't come to an end regardless of what his senses had said. It wasn't really what he would have expected; after all he'd just sort of lost his virginity to her, or something like it. Or hadn't he…? They didn't really –do it- so technically he could still be…technically he couldn't tell. At least she could tell him something about it, anything! She liked it? She hated it? She'd had better? She'd had better with the teddy bear? He almost remembered her saying she'd liked something but who could tell. It would be nice to hear, for example, that he wasn't a bad kisser even if that could not guarantee she'd ever want to do anything to and with him ever again. Maybe she'd been just curious or bored. If she had he would rather know already and stop obsessing about it.

She seemed to notice his predicament and giggled, squeezing his arm. "And to answer your question, I slept exactly here." She patted the spot before her, right next to him. "I pulled a pillow and slipped under the blanket with you. I love it that you are so warm, y'know. All in all I hadn't slept so well in a very long time. In the morning I put the pillow back and left Mrs. Curls in my place to keep an eye on you. It was pretty late already and didn't know when you'd wake up. I was starving and I had a mountain of laundry to press, too."

"Mrs. Curls…?" Too much information to process at once, only the part about someone he didn't know made it through.

"Yeah; the teddy bear. I call her Mrs. Curls."

Mystery of mysteries; the stupid bear he was jealous of wasn't close to being an object of desire for the girl; it wasn't even male. He didn't know if he should feel relieved or just like a fool. He settled for feeling like a relieved fool.

"Who would have thought you'd be hiding such a tasty little mouth in there."

She couldn't have just said that; it wasn't possible. He almost asked her to repeat herself but was a little overwhelmed to find the right phrasing so he simply sat there, staring.

"Not to mention other very nice bits…"

If that cinnamon muffin had been somehow conscious, V would have known exactly what it would be feeling. She wasn't simply nibbling on it; it was dark but he could still tell she was doing far more than having a portion of bakery and not long ago she'd eaten him very much in the same way. He was starting to feel very hot, perhaps if he played his cards wisely…

"I suggest you take a bath and get all pretty while I cook something light for you. Then we'll switch places and you can have your breakfast/lunch/almost supper while I take my afternoon bath."

Perhaps not, besides he really had to go. He was glad someone in that room had something coherent to say because besides a couple quotes, he couldn't come up with anything that would make him sound at least a little smart. He hated feeling like that; he was supposed to be so eloquent and composed, not to mention neat. At least he managed to nod his agreement to her plan, still thinking on those compliments.

"Oh, and by the way, you… may have one or two little bite marks on your thighs."

He was in the hands not of a demon but of a cannibal instead, one who admitted to biting him and batted her eyelashes at the same time. He was about to protest over such act of gratuitous violence inflicted upon him but fortunately the gods graced him with a few grams of insight and made him remember such things had a different meaning when placed within the context of a bedroom. She hadn't done it to hurt him or show lack of respect, she'd done it to literally mark her territory and if he expressed displeasure she'd read it as rejection and the side-effect could be the immediate withdrawal of her attention, which she seemed willing to continue providing after all.

She'd taken a considerable risk; it was a bold move. He just had to laugh; from that point of view it was as good as giving her a permanent marker and then let her write her name all over him. She seemed relieved at his slightly delayed reaction. He couldn't see her face but her shoulders relaxed considerably. He was glad he wasn't the only one nervous in that room, and he was also glad she'd liked him enough to put a mark on him.

"Branded like a calf! And where did you say I'm supposed to find these… marks?" She seemed to have been expecting his imprudent question and to his surprise, reached out and slid her hand under the blanket to caress him slowly from the knee up until reaching the sore spot on his inner thigh.

"The first one should be around here," She declared proudly as she stroked it lovingly with the back of her fingers and moved her hand, deliberately brushing very indecent places with the tip of her fingers to reach the other one on exactly the opposite side. "And this should be the second…" Her gentle squeeze of the sore spot made him hiss and wish she'd bitten him just one inch higher, and he was very close to asking her not to stop, full bladder or not. He probably would have but she removed her hand before he'd made up his mind.

"Your bath is waiting, unless you have other plans." Very interesting, he thought, she'd forgotten about her muffin and even seemed to be expecting him to do something. She was clearly suggesting he should. It wouldn't be right to run from a challenge of such nature, a challenge that could well benefit both of them. Of course she could object; it was her right to, but her playful mood invited him to be bold. Fortune favors the brave, doesn't it?

"Perhaps I do." He was starting to like the teasing game; all he needed was practice. He grabbed the loud blanket still covering him and used his quick reflexes to cover her with it and wrap it tightly around her small frame, making her yelp and then giggle delighted under the knitted yarn. "Actually yes, I do have other plans," He purred seductively in her ear while pushing her flat against the mattress, slipping one leg between hers and holding down her wriggling body with all his weight. "The first part involves getting back at you for biting me," He rubbed against her slowly to give her an idea of what he intended to punish her with, which made her moan and stay very still, perhaps expecting him to collect the debt already. "But I'm afraid -you- will have to wait because now I'll take my bath." He made sure she was still tightly wrapped in the blanket and stood up quickly to perform a proper exit from stage and run to the bathroom to save both dignity and internal organs while she was still trapped, noticing on his way out that she still hadn't objected.


	12. Chapter 12

**Nymphet**

**Part II**

**Chapter 2.**

**Dates and Remotes.**

The brief encounter had been enough to awaken more than just a sleepy mind and the privacy of the bathroom invited him to indulge. He'd already dimmed the lights; he hated bright lights in his face when he was in such a mood, he found it too distracting, almost painful. V glanced at the clock on the wall as he caressed slowly the twin livid marks on his thighs. He wouldn't be missed for some time even after taking 15 minutes to stretch his stiff muscles and it would be a shame to waste such wonderful bath, not to mention his current display of arousal. V leaned back in the tub, trying to focus on something more than plain private games that sometimes could last only a few minutes if he wasn't careful or if his goal was merely physical release. No, he wanted to improve his endurance, to learn how to relax and enjoy every stage of the process. Practice makes perfect.

He decided not to focus on the obvious and pay attention to other sensitive places instead; after all he had a whole strong body to enjoy. V poured a small amount of oil in the palm of his hand and rubbed it in slowly, following muscle lines over shoulders and chest. He'd never been shy regarding his own physical shape and over the years he had explored many ways to provide it with pleasure, perhaps to compensate for past, present and future pain. He wished he could use even a fraction of that wisdom when interacting with a certain young lady that insisted on making him lose his concentration with her teasing.

A little more oil graced belly and thighs, with added interest on the curved lines produced on his flesh by even and small teeth. They hurt a little, just enough to trick his senses into labeling the feeling as something halfway between common pain and delicately masochistic pleasure. He was terribly sensitized; usually he'd have to be quite focused to produce the same effect but now the softest touch was enough to make him shiver. It wasn't realistic to practice endurance and subtlety in such state; it would only lead to failure and frustration.

V decided that if he couldn't handle that much energy the reasonable thing to do was release it safely until it reached manageable levels. He stopped fighting and relaxed in the warm water, letting his hands do exactly what the rest of his body wanted them to do. Perhaps it wasn't the classy thing to do but there was no point in feeling bad over something that could be so enjoyable.

He didn't want to think on Evey either. If he included her in frantic fantasies meant to send him toward immediate release he'd surely associate her with that pattern and he'd have far more trouble around her. At the same time he wasn't in the mood for spending too much time in the water and focused on concentrating all of his energy into achieving one single orgasm. A small washcloth filled his mouth –no need to be so obvious about his loudness, at least not yet- and he stroked harder than before, not knowing for certain how much pleasure to expect but ready to find out. He let the world fade around him until he was the only thing that existed and one minute later he was rewarded with the longest and most intense orgasm he could remember.

V was glad about the washcloth in his mouth; he was almost sure he'd screamed and even if it had been loud enough to be heard by Evey, it was better than the alternative. He had to look at the clock again, not sure of how long it had been since he'd lost track of time. Just five minutes, he really had to practice, practice, practice, but in the meantime he'd have to finish his bath and behave like a gentleman. Yes, always the gentleman. Come to think of it, why would he have to behave like a textbook gentleman always…?

&&&&&&&&

"Wait, wait, wait!" Evey commanded playfully from her place in the hall as she saw him walking out of the bathroom on his way to the kitchen, clean, impeccable, and almost bouncing with relaxed sensuality. He seemed unaware of the way he was moving, which only made it more attractive. She beckoned him to come to her and he couldn't help obeying.

"Come back here, I want to take a good look at you." She gestured him to stop five feet from her and granted him a long appreciative glance, from head to toes, making him squirm. "Turn around, please. Oh yes, you look different." She declared after a minute. V did not know what she meant exactly but he was certain he'd remembered to dress properly after his bath. He found it prudent not to say anything incriminating, especially all related to self-pleasuring and screaming and settled for tilting his head, curious.

Evey slid on the stone floor to stand right before him and wrapped her arms around him, delighted at seeing he reciprocated her gesture and squeezed her lightly against his chest. "You look wonderful, almost like it." She finally confessed as she rubbed her little face against the silk doublet, inhaling his scent.

"Thank you but I don't believe I'm wearing anything you haven't seen before, dear Evey" He didn't know what he almost looked like but sensed she was still in a very playful mood and since her ideas had proven to be quite enjoyable, he let her show him the way.

"It's not about your appearance and it does have a name that defines it perfectly," She looked up to see his reaction. "Today sir, you look almost like it."

"Hmm? Almost like what?"

"I'll tell you as soon as you look like it but for now you'll have to keep on misbehaving."

"Oh, I intend to, now that you mention it, thank you very much."

"You are very welcome. V, are you mad at me for what I did last night?" She wore a serious expression but her arms did not let him go.

"Hmmm… no but it worries me that you did not ask first. I'm not used to surprises turning out to be pleasant." It was the truth, he wasn't angry but there were boundaries one could easily trespass, no matter the original intent.

"Even if we wanted the very same thing?" Her eyes seemed larger but he could not see much remorse in them.

"Yes."

"Does that mean we get to ask from now on?" Such a clever little thing she was, V thought. Not only she'd confirmed where they stood, she'd also found she had not pushed him into doing anything he objected to, she expressed her wish to continue and addressed the delicate subject of what they would do next, something he may have delayed indefinitely. He had to laugh again, relieved at hearing that she wanted more but slightly embarrassed because his failure to respond properly to her advances had forced her to take the lead and show him how things were supposed to be done. He'd have to master this new set of rules or he would always be at disadvantage. He was also considering becoming a complete rascal.

"Yes, we'll ask from now on."

Her serious expression was replaced by a sly grin and her arms squeezed his waist a little tighter. "So, do you have plans for tonight?" She chose to exercise her new asking privileges right away and her question promised so much that he did not mind, in truth he had hoped she'd require his company for a second round of whatever people called what they'd done.

"Nothing I can't postpone. Why do you ask?" He felt his body responding already and squeezed her a little tighter in the hope that she'd notice and once more feel tempted to turn him inside out. Just thinking on what she'd done to him the previous night made his breathing quicken.

"I ask because there's some unfinished business between us and I'd love to kiss you again."

"Kiss me as in –kiss me-?" He tilted his head, full of curiosity since the first time he'd asked for one kiss things had gone much farther than that.

"Yeah, kiss you as in –kiss you-" She was enjoying it, and very much "And then blow you as in -blow you-" She had a way to make him pay attention, especially when she stressed her points by licking her lips and slipping one leg between his to rub his thighs suggestively. Apparently she was also figuring out he found dirty language enticing and it was possible she'd discovered that kink even before he had.

"Good God, child! You eat with that mouth?"

"You should know, sir... Anyway, you choose the time. It's open season from…" She glanced at the clock to make sure she'd have time to get ready. "10 pm until 6 in the morning. I'll be waiting, even if I'm asleep. The door will be open." The little bitch was teasing again; she was free to do anything she'd feel like doing –including sleep- until he arrived and she'd placed the entire weight of having to choose the right time on his shoulders. If he showed exactly at 10 it would send a message saying he was desperate, in all honesty the truth, and if he joined her at 6 in the morning, the message would say that he was just as desperate but wanted to pretend otherwise. Any moment approximately between those two ends would look utterly artificial and it would betray his inner battle in the same way. Now he understood the reasoning behind being "fashionably late" and decided to be there shortly after 11.

"Agreed. Should I proceed at will or wake you perhaps…? Then it was her turn to laugh, she had not expected him to say something so outrageous but it was evident she enjoyed the exchange.

"Please do wake me, it will be far easier to kiss you and I mean to show you something, a very special personal lesson." She seemed to know exactly what things she wanted to share with him and although he had expected they'd focus on him again, it was only fair that this time they switched places. Hopefully what she wanted to show him would be at least close to what he'd dreamed of doing so many times in the recent past, and even if she wanted something different he was curious and willing to help. He hoped to make her scream like he did in his dreams; it had become one of his greatest ambitions.

"Same rules as last night, dear Evey?"

"Sure, unless you want to make changes or additions."

"No, not for now but I'll let you know."

"Great. Wear something comfortable and don't forget the wig."

"The wig! Should I be jealous of it? You seem too fond of it."

"V! If you are jealous of your own wig, should I be jealous of my red panties as well?"

"I… it wouldn't be right. I think…"

"Oh, there's one thing…"

"Yes?"

"The boots. I love them but they are not invited to the party."

&&&&&&&&

Nine o'clock and Evey was taking her bath. V did not expect her to be out before another thirty minutes and his hearing was focused on letting him know if something changed. At last he'd filled his stomach and although his meal had been a light one, he didn't think he'd be comfortable digesting something heavy after sleeping so many hours, not to mention the effect of the excitement of the moment. The last thing he'd want was to get sick in the middle of a romantic evening. He sipped his tea and pondered what to do next; he'd vowed to get back at Evey for biting him and he also wanted to be bad, very bad.

Of course there were boundaries he didn't feel like crossing yet but that only established a basis he could work based on. Taking off the mask had been at the same time terrifying and liberating and he was very glad Evey had let him take his time and do it himself. He knew she'd very much wanted him to do it but she'd still given him room to make up his mind. He wanted to do it again and in every room of his home if possible but light was a problem. If only he could control lights…He'd only need a few circuits, a remote, batteries, a screwdriver…

Twenty minutes later a handful of components had disappeared from his shelves at the workshop and a new device had been wired to the power lines. A common remote had found a reason to exist and its owner practiced a few times while he still had time. V pressed a few buttons that when combined properly, controlled the lights in one, several or every room at will and on a scale from 0 to 10. All he had to do was press the number he had assigned to specific areas and then use plus and minus keys to make adjustments. With a little more time he could program whole cycles just like in the roses room but for now it would do.

The test was successful and V cleared the kitchen table in a matter of seconds to then slide quietly to the hall to hide behind the curtains at the makeup room, the very room she didn't visit, conveniently located opposite to her room, across the hall. All the voices in his head were busy talking about their collective plan for the evening, making suggestions, betting or simply cheering, and he had to invest some energy on ignoring their excited chatter. He breathed slowly with the remote in his hand and waited for Evey to come out of the bathroom.

Oh yes, he would make her pay and she'd even like it. It was fun to think like a rascal, he was already enjoying it. The key was to be bold and even outrageous. Of course it was always possible to make a mistake but if he managed to control himself and read the signs correctly, all should go as planned. He paid attention to the sounds coming from the bathroom and grinned behind the mask as soon as the lock clicked open. He counted in his head, listening to the sound of Evey's bare feet over stone. He dared stealing the most brief glance in time to see a little thing coming out of the bathroom, all fresh and pink, toweling her wavy hair and wearing a pair of loose sleeping pants and lo and behold, Evil Nipples Little Top. Oh, that meant war, and all he had to do was press a button…

"V! Bloody power's down!"

Silence. Nothing like a little suspense to make things interesting. He had dimmed the lights almost to nothing so even when he could still tell where everything was, for Evey's less sensitive eyes it was black as ink. He could hear her fidgeting and turning to left and right, not daring to take more than two steps on either direction for fear of hurting herself or breaking something of incalculable value to the human race. He waited for a few seconds before coming out of his hiding spot behind the curtains and tiptoed across the hall to stand behind her.

"V?"

"Yesssss?" He answered right behind her startled frame, wrapping his arms around her waist like a black python, pulling her close against him.

"V!"

"Evey!"

"What's wrong with the power, Kaa impersonator?"

"Oh, it happens sometimes."

"Even here?

"Nobody is perfect, my dear. However, I'm right here to protect you."

"Protect me from what exactly?"

"From venomous spiders and vicious and voracious vermin…"

"You sound very suspicious, V."

"Moi?"

"Yes, you devious man."

"Should I let you go, then?"

"Yeah, you've got exactly two hours to let me go."

"Ah, so much to do, so little time…"

V squeezed her a little tighter and lifted her small frame to carry her from the hall to the narrow corridor outside her bedroom, listening and feeling all over his body the vibrations her giggling produced. Apparently she was quite amused.

"Where are we going?"

"I'm escorting you back to your room, dear Evey."

"Aha! I knew it! It's not 10 o'clock yet!"

"Very true and I wouldn't impose on my hostess before time; I'm simply making sure you find your way in this dark."

"Oh. I see."

"And voila, if you reach out with both hands, you should be able to feel your door in front of you now."

He was having so much fun playing that game, Evey didn't even protest and did just what he had suggested; she reached out in the dark and touched the carvings and contours of her bedroom door. V let her down gently but didn't let go, which she seemed not to notice, or at least she pretended not to. She kept her hands on the door, not wanting to lose her contact with something familiar.

"See? At home and perfectly safe. By the way, you smell wonderful."

"It's the shampoo…"

"That's not quite the smell I fancy."

"Eh… so what now?"

"You could wait comfortably inside your room until I figure out what's wrong with our artificial sun."

"Oh. Right..."

"Or I could stay here keeping you company. Sometimes it's a problem involving whole blocks and even I have to wait for it to be fixed by our lovely neighbors above, which could take from five minutes to hours."

"Well, I suppose we could always light some candles… V…?

"Yesssss?"

"You don't have the mask on, do you?"

"Nope."

"…"

"Hello there. Now spread your legs and keep your hands on the door please."


	13. Chapter 13

**Nymphet**

**Chapter 13**

**Clicks and blasts**

"Hello there. Now spread your legs and keep your hands on the door please."

Evey was a little too surprised and amused to say no and kept her hands on the door while a newborn rascal squeezed her tight again before running his hands down her waist to measure the contours of her hips and back up to brush her small breasts with the tip of his fingers, making her gasp.

"Now where to start, I wonder? Any ideas?"

Evey decided to have an attack of nervous giggling and managed only to shake her head, unable to talk but still with her hands on the wooden door as instructed and pressing back against him.

"No? Then I'm afraid I'll have to touch here and there to help you think. Would that be agreeable?"

More giggling and nodding answered his question and he began a slow exploration of her belly, right under the waistband of her low cut sleeping pants. Evey stayed very still, just breathing a little faster than usual and by all signs enjoying being the center of the attention.

"Hmmm this seems to be fun but not as fun as it could be, don't you think? Let's try something easier, a different spot perhaps."

First click. It was mostly bravado; he was actually terrified and struggling with the possibility of overloading, which could make him drag her into her bedroom before 10 pm in order to do the first thing that came to mind –which would expose a serious lack of self-control he wasn't ready to admit to- or the situation could escalate until reaching saturation point and make him emotionally and physically numb for hours. A moment of clarity allowed him to remember a key rule to survival that said one should never show fear and he intended to apply it to the current situation. With a little luck she would think his frequent pauses were part of his teasing game although in reality he needed them to keep things under control. He had also the timer he'd just wired as part of his fake power shortage plan to know when he had to stop. Three clicks and then one tiny harmless explosion; that was all he needed to get away with it. He tried wrapping her arms around her and squeezed her again, lifting her small frame off the floor until only her toes touched the stone floor and tilted his head to lick a moist path over shoulder and neck before blowing a cool puff of air to remind her of where he'd just been. The lithe body shivered and her head fell back over his shoulder, granting him permission to continue.

"Oh yes, that spot is very nice…"

"Shall we continue, then?"

"Mmhmm…"

It didn't seem so difficult after all, he thought, just a bit of control and pacing made all the difference. Evey's neck had proven to be a tasty snack and he nibbled on its soft curve and up until finding a tender earlobe he sucked into his mouth to mimic some of what she'd done to his nether regions the previous night. He could feel the frail ribcage expanding and contracting rapidly under his tightly wrapped arms and little gasps came out her mouth letting him know his exploration of her body was successful up to that point. He released her earlobe and let his tongue trace every curve of her ear, making sure he wasn't missing any part of it, which helped him focus on her and remain in control. He finally found the center of her ear and tried to fill the small cavity with the tip of his tongue, tracing its circumference with slow and calculated moves that made her shiver and try to remove her hands from the door.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," He breathed hoarsely into her ear. "None of that, my little vampire. I'm not done yet."

"I want to touch you…"

"Later."

"Now!"

"If you remove your hands from this door, I'll stop."

"You wouldn't!"

"What makes you think I'm bluffing, sweet Eve?"

"You are enjoying this, aren't you?"

"I admit your ear has the most delicious taste, especially this little corner…"

"Oh…"

It was wonderful to know what he was doing and the possibilities were infinite and delightful. He focused on her ear again as one of his arms left her waist to have a firmer grip on her hip and pressed her bum harder against him so she could feel what he had in store for her.

"And –this- is how much I'm enjoying this, dear Evey."

"Oh God! Let me touch you… please…"

"Not yet."

"I'll do anything you want!"

"Then stay still. That's what I want you to do."

Second click. He let her down and before she could protest he moved his hands up her chest to caress the small breasts again with more boldness than before, squeezing lightly and taking the small hardened nipples to roll them gently between his fingers. She tried to remove her hands from the door once more, probably just a reflex but his hands stopped immediately and left her breasts to punish her misdemeanor.

"Don't stop!"

"I told you I would if you persisted on disobeying."

"Uh…I didn't mean to."

"Should we carry on, then?"

"Yes!"

"Do that again and I'll stop altogether."

"Okay."

He went back to caressing her, starting at her thighs and up to show her he bore no resentment but instead of going back to her breasts he held her tightly against him once more, spreading her legs wider apart with his boot.

"I told you I'd get back at you for biting me and if I enjoy it enough, I might as well get back at you more than once."

"What are you going to do?"

"That depends on how badly you behave, my dear."

"I can be very bad!"

"Hmmmm. No, I don't believe you can."

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"No but I'm afraid you'll have to show me."

"I'll show you, I'll show you!"

"We'll see…"

Everything was perfect and even if they took an unexpected turn at that point, he could consider his practice session a success. Evey was wonderfully responsive, breathing heavily and rubbing against him with her hands obediently on the door, alert to every word he said. She felt warmer than usual and the intoxicating smell her body was brewing filled his mind and made his mouth water. There were things he wanted to do as well and one of them was just within reach. He let his hand travel down her belly and over her sleeping pants to trace delicately the contours of her mound with the back of his fingers. Evey couldn't help yelping and he grinned against her neck, taking mental notes on her reactions. His own body was very interested as well but if he stayed focused on her he believed he could go on tormenting her. The tip of his fingers charged once more and teased the delicate flesh with featherlike touches that made her shiver against him.

"Do you like this?"

"Oh yes…."

"Wonderful."

His arm squeezed her possessively to keep her close to him while his free hand moved further down her body over her clothing to caress the moist slit from beginning to end and back, pressing slightly with his middle finger to spread the soft flesh apart just enough to feel its warmth.

"Take it off…"

He had been so focused that he had forgotten about the gloves completely but her suggestion wasn't even filtered by his mind and he included it immediately in his plan to tease her there in the dark hall, right outside her room.

"I intend to do a little more than that."

Third click. Evey shivered just by listening to him whispering in her ear and stayed very still waiting for him to take off his gloves. She must have been slightly frustrated for a few seconds because he had to stop touching her but she obeyed his instructions and kept her hands on the door while he got rid of his leather companions and with one playful kiss to her neck embraced her again to continue caressing her, this time sliding his hand inside her sleeping pants and underwear. Evey seemed surprised but delighted by the progress as well and tilted her hips slightly to give him more room to move.

V had to pause then; it wasn't quite the same to touch her without the familiar barrier of the gloves and for a minute he feared overloading. He breathed deeply four or five times to clear his head and once more pressed his fingers gently against her moist flesh, marveled at how smooth and slippery she was. It made him proud to think he was responsible for it and felt he had to reciprocate such a warm welcome. He moved his fingers as before, tracing the whole length of her slit as far as he could reach but not as deeply as he knew he could go into her delicate folds. After all they were just getting started and he was enjoying his little game far too much to rush it.

"V…"

"Yes?"

"More…"

He was in such a wicked mood; he actually considered faking an emergency to leave her there for longer than planned, panting and dripping wet, with her hands on the door and practically begging for sex.

"No, my dear, it's not open season until 10 pm, you said it yourself."

"Fuck that, I want it now!"

"But I haven't even changed yet."

"My room. Now!"

"My, my, Evey. You can be so changing. What about our previous deal?"

"What?"

"We had a deal, remember? It will be open season after 10; I should wear comfortable clothes and no boots. Oh, and the wig of course."

"But…"

"Yesss?"

Perhaps it would have been easier for her to answer if he removed his hand from between her legs but he loved to stimulate her delicate nerve ends and she was so deliciously wet that he had a difficult time keeping his fingers from stroking her clitoris or penetrating her right there and before planned. Oh no, he wanted to make her beg for it and in her own bed, just as an appetizer for his ego.

"Please…?"

Her hips moved involuntarily to meet his fingers and it wasn't without some reluctance that he removed his hand to lick his fingers one at a time right next to her ear so she could hear every wet sound and grunt of pleasure escaping his lips as he tasted her. He almost lost control again and shuddered against her, intoxicated with her honey. He had to pace himself; he'd gone too far already to give in just like that. The three clicks had passed and the small blast should happen soon. He just had to wait… The sound was a bit louder than expected and he was almost as startled as Evey who shrieked alarmed at the sudden distraction.

"I'm afraid duty calls, my dear. I should check on our power lines at once!"

"What!"

"But I'll be back as soon as I can!"

"What!"

"Stay warm, will you?"

"Uh…"

"Now please go inside your room and get comfortable."

"Okay…"

"You may remove your hands from the door now."

"Oh, right."

Oh yes, he'd check the power lines to remove all traces of incriminating devious mechanisms she could find and only then he'd change and go back to her room. Being a rascal was definitely in him.


	14. Chapter 14

**Nymphet**

**Chapter 14**

**Cartoons and silk**

V could hear Evey pacing in her room where as promised she'd left the door open for him. She sounded definitely anxious, especially after the big clock in the hall chimed eleven, one hour after "hunting season" was open. He considered making her wait even longer but his own nerves -which in all truth had valiantly held even when he had decided to keep on practicing being a rascal by sniffing the unwashed hand he'd used to tease her against the door- could fail him just as easily. After all they were barely becoming familiar with the other's intimate proximity and some accidents could be expected. Evey didn't seem to mind if he made little mistakes here and there and he hoped she kept on not minding.

Wear something comfortable, she'd said and her words kept replaying in V's head, making him chuckle. Wear something comfortable like what, Evey? Comfortable nothing? frankenfurterish comfortable? Perhaps she'd fancy bedding a sweet transvestite from Transexual, Transylvania... He'd laughed far more than normal in the last twenty four hours but she was right; the bed wasn't exactly the best place for leather boots or perhaps she had not yet developed that kink but her suggestion wasn't unreasonable and actually gave him ample room to choose what to wear besides his favorite mask, and dress up for someone who would actually live to appreciate it. Certain purple silk pajamas came to mind, and so did a pair of the softest black cotton gloves, a pair of long tabi socks he'd never found the right time to wear, the lightest neckpiece and of course, a perfect wig. She loved his wigs for some reason and he hoped that at some point in the future she'd end up wearing one to bed after trading it for something of equivalent value, like her unmentionables. Such a pity, he very much doubted he had the hips to wear them properly, at least around her. Perhaps he'd have time to try on the red ones he had stolen from her… But no, he had to be serious. A serious rascal, that is. He opened and closed drawers to produce each item he'd selected and couldn't help caressing every part of his naked anatomy as it was covered by soft cloth of the highest quality, wig and mask.

On top of that he thought he should wear that lovely yet sober black spun silk kimono he'd kept neatly folded for a long time in its fine paper envelope. Or maybe it was too dressy for the occasion; it was a five-crested kimono after all, meant for ceremonial use. On the other hand the possibility of losing his virginity to Evey counted very much as a ceremonial occasion. Hell, he should blow party balloons, bake a cake and tape the whole thing, too. He giggled again and focused on his attire, putting on his favorite brocade slippers as he hummed a mischievous little tune recorded almost one century ago.

"If it's naughty to vamp the men,  
Sleep each morning 'til after ten,  
Then the answer is yes, I want to be bad!

This thing of being a good little goodie is all very well!  
What can you do when you're loaded with plenty of… hell?

And figure, when you're learning what lips are for,

And it's naughty to ask for more,  
Let a lady confess; I want to be bad!"

He grinned behind the mask he planned to wear for just a handful of minutes and paused to contemplate his image in the mirror, caressing his chest once more just to see what it looked like. His hands traveled down over the soft purple silk, touching, teasing, kneading, and he had to admit he liked what he saw. He liked it very much… But no, he should stop before he enjoyed it too much and gave in to the impulse of pleasuring himself right there in front of the mirror while Evey paced in her room waiting for him. On the other hand Evey might like to watch, too. Perhaps she had little kinks of her own that he could exploit. Oh, he'd certainly have to add this most recent discovery to his list of things to tease Evey with. He was so good at keeping lists of all sorts; artwork, groceries, chemicals, corpses…

Time to put on the silk kimono, he thought. His small guest could grow impatient and he wanted to stimulate her for sex, not for domestic disputes. He freed the expensive garment from its large paper envelope and put it on, remembering to close it over his chest correctly, left over right, never the other way around unless he was dressing up for his funeral. The long sash wrapped twice around his lean body just below the belly and he tied an appropriate flat knot at the back. Perfect, absolutely perfect, said the image in the mirror, seduced by the original. He was quite the present; juicy inside and wonderfully wrapped in silk, bow included.

"Boop-boop-a-doop…" He purred at his reflection like a dragon in a playful mood, admiring the effect one last time before heading for Evey's darkened open room. He very much hoped the rest of her was just as open and willing to be invaded after making her wait one hour and sixteen… seventeen minutes. As an extra precaution he'd made sure he had programmed the lights to pretend the blackout he had faked had damaged the wiring on Evey's room and all others on her side of the Shadow Gallery to make it look less suspicious. Of all things that could possibly go wrong, he feared above all untimely light. Well, that and accidentally tearing her to shreds.

A short walk from his room to the main hall helped him to focus on his script, although deep inside he was nervous as a rabbit. The Wurlitzer greeted him with a little neon wink and he reciprocated the gesture by caressing the smooth clear cover with his fingers. "You too are in an excellent mood, my love." He whispered at the adored machine. "Would you sing for me tonight? We are throwing a lovely party right here at home, you know." An affirmative answer seemed to reach his ears and he pressed a series of buttons, selecting a number of appropriate songs he'd like to have playing in the background while he visited a young lady in her private chambers.

The path to Evey's room seemed too short, or perhaps he was more nervous than he thought. He focused on thinking that soon he'd be on stage and once there, the performer would take over and the play would banish all fears. He knocked on the open door –polite, always polite- and bowed deeply in the ancient style of the East before crossing the threshold where he stopped, not wanting to be presumptuous and take for granted that he had permission to enter. He could sense Evey inside, waiting. She must have heard him programming the Wurlitzer and then walking to her room, not even trying to be quiet. She felt awake and fully alert but chaotic as well, which complicated the task of locating her in the dark. Perhaps she was well-disposed, or perhaps she was angry for having to wait. At last a wayward pulse of energy reached his sharp senses telling him exactly where she was; standing right behind him in the deepest shadows behind the door where they'd first kissed and yes, very much alert.

"Come here, you!" She said as her small hands made him turn and grabbed two generous fistfuls of silk to pull him deeper inside the room. For the second time in less than twenty-four hours, she dragged him to her bed and pushed him enthusiastically to make him land across the mattress before he had time to protest. She seemed quite fond of that trick and hurried to follow him, climbing up his body like a playful monkey. She straddled his hips and wrapped her limbs around him, making him think that wrestling had never been so erotic.

"Hi!"

"Good evening, mademoiselle! Feeling well, I dare say?"

"Feeling a little hot, actually."

"Poor darling. Should I worry?"

"Newp. I think I like it."

"Glad to hear that. So where were we…?" He purred as his hands slid down her waist to her hips, maneuvering the fragile body to make interesting parts rub against it.

"You said you were going to… do things to me, huh?" She reminded him as her own interesting parts decided to cooperate with his.

"Oh yes, if you were bad enough, right?" He pretended to recall as his hands slid around her to squeeze her buttocks firmly. For one quarter of a second he feared she'd object but she giggled instead, rewarding his ego.

"Right! I'm especially interested on what you did with your hand. You know, at the door…"

"Oh really? I very much doubt a sweet little thing like you could be bad enough to earn that and the complete works."

"Oh yeah? Then I guess I'll have to show you."

"Do you intend to bite me again? I still have to repay you for these marks on my thighs."

"No, no biting. I mean to swallow you, actually."

"Swallow me! At once and without prelude?"

"Oh no! I'd like something first…"

"Ask, my dear. Perhaps I'm in such a mood to say yes."

"Really?"

"Perhaps…"

"It's the… door thing."

"What door…? Oh yes, the 'door thing'. What about it?"

"Do it again. The last part, I mean."

"Pick up where I've left off?"

"Uh-huh…"

"Granted. But first… a kiss."

"Yum…"

He considered it was time to switch positions and rolled with her, making sure her hands were under control. "Our rules still apply, dear Evey. Do not forget this." He reminded her and waited until she'd nodded her head to hold her wrists together in one hand and pin them above her head against the mattress. Everything was going wonderfully well, he thought as he reached behind his head to undo the fastenings and remove the mask before he had time to panic. Evey waited patiently, paying her respects to what was already becoming a shared ritual of transformation. It was dark inside her room but he could still tell she'd looked away with reverent modesty. V breathed again and reached to place the mask over the bedside table where it could play its role as observer.

"Hello." He said to the once more wriggling Evey below him, sounding the same but not quite, as naked as he'd been the previous evening but far less uncomfortable.

"Hi there." She greeted the warm shadow that kept her delicately pressed against the mattress. They remained like that for a minute breathing the same air, adapting to the change they'd missed the previous night amid all the frenzy going on against the wall behind her bedroom door. The small body squirmed to squeeze him tighter, breaking the spell but in return, expressing that Evey had digested what had just happened and approved.

"If you still want a kiss…?"

"Yes?"

"Come and get it." She challenged playfully, tilting her head up to make it easier for him to find her lips. How curious, he thought, barely one day had passed and they had moved forward miles and miles. The best part was how much fun he was actually having just because he had dared to ask for one kiss. It was going far too well, he'd better not get carried away; he tended to make mistakes whenever he grew overconfident. Evey's legs wrapped a little tighter around his waist, compensating for having her arms temporarily restricted. The first time she had taken the lead and despite having a long list of things to do, V felt a little lost. He was ready for emergencies, clumsiness and accidents, not smooth harmony. Oh, but he was worrying too much, he always did. A rascal wouldn't do that. He took a deep breath to concentrate and before collecting his kiss, he teased Evey with playful nips to her neck and chin. The girl squirmed as much as her position allowed, giggling under him, letting him practice the lessons he'd recently learned with patience and good humor. She was a genius at pretending she hadn't noticed he was a novice and he had the good taste of pretending he hadn't noticed she knew. Sometimes complicity outranked truth.

Kissing was still a novelty so it was easy to lose track of everything else going on and Evey took advantage of her more extensive practical knowledge to focus on rubbing against him, using his weight to increase friction. It was a very dangerous position and before long he was struggling to remain in control and not tear her to shreds. He should tell her but delicately, if he scared her the party would be over. No, he shouldn't let go, not even if she kept sucking his tongue into her mouth to give him a tiny little blowjob. Damn, he was sure that if he concentrated he'd feel through the thin silk of his trousers the moisture between her legs that perfumed the room so delicately and made his mouth water. Evey moaned, making him shiver and then panic when she tilted her hips to take advantage of his state of arousal to literally masturbate against him. It showed she liked to play with toys and she'd just found one with fresh batteries and far warmer than the pink vibrator she kept in her drawer.

"Wait, wait! I'm afraid this position is too intense. I'd very much like to go slower this time, Eve." He admitted candidly after breaking the kiss with a wet sound. She thought him blunt sometimes, being so used to expecting lies to cover for every single little thing in life, but she didn't seem to mind. At least her legs around his waist didn't lose their interest on him.

"Hmm. Let me think… Yes! I've got an idea but I'll need to move. May I have my hands back, too? I'm gonna need them for a minute." She asked as her legs set him free and her small body shifted, clearly translating her wish to roll once more and be on top again. V obliged, trying very hard not to suspect, especially when the girl crawled away from him.

"I've got it! I've got it! She proclaimed as she reached the headboard where all her thick pillows were neatly laid. She took them one by one, plumping them up and making them stand vertically against the headboard to create a comfortable backrest. "Ta-da!" She exclaimed once all four pillows were in place and patted a spot before them, right in the middle of the bed. "Have a seat, sir. Right here if you don't mind."

V crawled the short distance and leaned back into the pillows with her small hands on his shoulders and her smell in his nose. He wondered what she'd come up next but even if she tried something, he was quicker and stronger.

"Nice! I think this will do. Spread your legs." She ordered him, reinforcing her instruction with help from her small hands that went to his knees with the clear intention of pulling them apart.

"Excuse you!" He protested before his mind had time to censor anything. "I thought we'd go slower this time?"

The minx giggled again, finding his outburst more charming than anything. At least that's what her small hand suddenly between his legs seemed to express. She grew bolder and squeezed him gently, demanding his full attention.

"V, tonight we're gonna be slower than snails, you'll see. Now make some room for me, will you? Here, I'll show you." Her hand released him and joined its partner in a renewed attempt at making him spread his legs. He let her do, more curious than concerned and his leniency was soon rewarded. The small guest crawled between his legs and her arms reached around him after a quick exploration of his outfit to undo the knot at his back.

"We don't want to ruin this, do we? It's just too pretty." She explained as her nimble fingers found out how to untie the knot and quickly disposed of the silk sash that kept the kimono in place. V feared she'd try to unwrap her present on its entirety and prepared a way out of but she settled for pushing the black fabric out of the way. The purple pajamas' softer silk seemed to fascinate her and she hurried to settle against him, sitting on her hip with her legs folded under her. "Better?" She asked from her new position, laying her head on his shoulder and running her hands over the new fabric.

Better, she'd said? It was perfect, V thought. Not only it was comfortable, it was definitely convenient. He could tell just where her hands were at all times, they were in very close proximity and he could kiss her, hold her, and caress her, all at once. Being in a poorly lit room was quite convenient also and he grinned like a naughty wolf.

"Wonderful, actually." He replied, using just the right tone of voice to congratulate Evey for her ingenuity. He pulled her closer and cupped her cheek with his free hand to kiss her lips with lazy sensuality. If he wanted her to keep a slow pace he'd better show her what he wanted. Evey relaxed against him, sliding one hand behind his back and using the other to caress his chest. Only then V's previously distracted mind began paying attention to a handful of small things; she was still wearing the same pair of loose sleeping bottoms she'd worn not two hours ago when he'd teased her against the door, and the infamous _Evil Nipples Little Top_ covered her slim torso just as stubbornly. His free hand caressed her side and down her hip, proving that as he had suspected she had persisted on not putting on underwear. Good, he'd practice restraint and visit that neighborhood later. In the meantime he could perfectly focus on becoming familiar with Evey's bare torso but something stood on his way; _Evil Nipples Little Top_. Think; he had to think on a plan to be rid of it…

First a handful of passionate little kisses to keep Evey distracted. Good. Then featherlike touches from her back to her chest to make her grow used to the closeness… then work the nipple. Yes, the nipple was the key. Pinch it lightly and roll it between thumb and forefinger… yes, yes, squirm Evey, squirm… couldn't possibly be any easier. Then slide the hand down her side and bring it back up –with- the fabric…

"V, what are you doing?"

"Umm… helping you out of this?"

"Aha, that's what I thought. Are you going to strip as well?"

"Eh… no."

"Then I shouldn't either. It wouldn't be right, don't you think? Nothing personal, just a symmetry thing."

"Yes. Yes of course, dear Evey. You are absolutely right."

Bitch. He quit messing with _Evil Nipples Little Top_, very close to throwing a fit for not being able to remove her clothing but not wanting to ruin things –or- reciprocate in the matter of clothing removal either. She consoled him with more tongue in his mouth and the small body pressed harder against him in the most delicious manner. However, he still wanted to get her naked. Naked and sitting on his face if possible.

"I love cinnamon…" She declared out of the blue. "No wonder I was in such a mood for cinnamon muffins this morning" She added as if that explained everything, which of course didn't.

"Hrm?"

"Sounds crazy but you taste like spices, like cinnamon."

"Really? I had no idea, dear Evey."

"Well, you do and I love it!"

"Are you having me with tea, then?"

"Yes. Well, except for the tea. So… you said we should ask before doing something, right?"

"Right."

"And we are not going to strip, right?"

"I believe that at this point we'll definitely not."

"Aha. But we can still… y'know, touch?"

She couldn't possibly be any sweeter. He felt tempted to punish her for keeping _Evil Nipples Little Top_ or tease her and perhaps even question her until he made her blush but her cheek felt hot enough against his shoulder and she sounded far less secure than five minutes ago. If she was fighting her own demons he couldn't tell but knowing who she was and where she came from suggested that she just might. It would be useful to remember not to push her too far or he risked offending her. If he was touchy in terms of boundaries and expected her to respect them, she should enjoy the same privileges. Except for the stripping thing, he'd find a way to get her naked and soon.

"Touch like last night, do you mean?"

"Yeah…"

"Would that please you, Evey?" Well, perhaps he could tease her and question her just a tiny bit after all. She seemed to find such conversation interesting.

"Oh yes. I liked to touch you. I liked it very much…"

Her small hand reached down to brush the front of the silk trousers with suggestive coquetry and V was ninety-nine percent sure she did enjoy loaded questions. The delicate hand moved up and down, stressing her point and making him become aware of his own unsteady breathing.

"And what exactly do you have on mind, dear Eve?"

"I want to touch you just the way I touched you last night behind the door and stuff."

"Oh dear… just… the same way?"

"Yes. But wait, not really. This time I want to do it much slower."

"Much slower…?"

"Uh-huh. I want you to feel everything."

"I see…"

"So may I? I'll just put my hand inside your jammies like this…"

"All right…"

"And I'll move it like this…"

He forgot he was in charge of the loaded questions once his concentration abandoned that old boring subject to focus on Evey's hand moving up and down inside his trousers, twisting, pulling, squeezing, all to keep him guessing and completely besotted. One of the most difficult things to hide was skill and the girl was obviously good at pleasuring a man like that. He could picture her stroking one and a hundred others up there in the common world. Common places and common faces he could remember from his surveillance sessions peopled his voyeuristic fantasy. V shivered, absentmindedly noting that the thought of Evey pleasuring someone else made him jealous but above all increased his arousal to unexpected levels. Her hand reached lower and cupped him from below, squeezing gently.

"Evey, you'll want to be very careful there!"

"Don't worry, I'll be careful. I think you'll like this." The delicate fingers explored him with tender devotion, becoming familiar with his body. "I think I like these two. They are just like a bull's, full and heavy. Yeah, quite lovely…" She concluded and then showed her admiration by means of the softest massage V could ever imagine.

"Good?"

"Very good, Eve…"

"But can't do this for long, I'd hurt you."

"Oh well, there are many other things we can do."

"Speaking of which…"

"Yes?"

"I'm thinking on something…"

"What would that be, dear Evey?"

"Um…you know… "

For a minute she doubted, as if fearing he'd say no to whatever she suggested and insist she kept on pleasuring him instead, perhaps a pattern she was familiar with from previous partners. The small hand went back to stroking him with far more gentleness, in what translated as a promise, as a discreet reminder of what she –could- do if he agreed to something she wanted first.

"Yes?"

"You know… what you did to me against the door…"

"This?" He asked, pretending to sound innocent while sliding his free hand between her legs to caress her lazily with the back of his fingers.

"Mmhmm…"

"Or this perchance?" He ventured with growing confidence, once more pressing the tip of his finger to her tender flesh with the clear intent of running it along the moist slit, just the way he'd done a couple hours ago. The thin body arched, approving his suggestion and he went right ahead with Evey's full cooperation. She shifted slightly to give him better access, draping her leg over his, with her knee bent and her foot firmly on the mattress.

"Is this what you wanted, bad little Eve?" He whispered in her ear, encouraged by her little gasps. By her response he could tell how much she'd actually been looking forward to having him please her in such a way. He felt her nodding her head against his shoulder, with her hand still around him but too distracted to keep on stroking him.

"Take it off…" She pleaded for the second time in one night, obviously referring to the glove he was wearing. V grinned, finding yet another way to practice being bad.

"I will if that little hand of yours goes back to work."

"What? Oh my, I forgot! Better?"

"Mmhmm…"

"So take it off!"

"You forgot the magic word…"

"Please?"

"Much better."

He should have started misbehaving years ago; making people beg was so damned fun but making them beg for pleasure was more than fun, it was fulfilling. He took his sweet time in removing his hand as slowly as he could manage to make her notice its absence and with just as much laziness removed the glove to make her miss his hand twice as much. Evey waited and waited, forgetting once more to keep her hand busy.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk."

"Oh, I forgot again! Sorry."

"I believe someone in this room had promised to be bad. Or was I lured into this room by false advertisement?"

"Damn!"

"Do you remember the door, Evey?"

"I do!"

"Very well, then this will sound familiar; if your hand stops again without my permission, I'll stop playing with your wet little slit and you'll go to bed without your supper."

"You are evil!"

V waited for a second, and then two, close to fearing Evey would take advantage of her hand's position to really hurt him for casting threats like that but she applied herself to fondling him with renewed enthusiasm, delivering slow but firm strokes, remembering his wish to enjoy things at a slower pace. He rewarded her with a handful of heartfelt moans in her ear and cupped her face for a fierce kiss that promised no more teasing before sliding his hand inside her loose trousers to get serious and use his fingers to spread her delicate folds.

The Wurlitzer fell quiet after playing all the songs V had selected, enough music to fill at least one hour of quality time spent in good company. Nobody seemed to notice there was silence outside Evey's room where music of other sort provided a more appropriate soundtrack. The lithe body swayed in his arms, inviting his fingers to find a practical use for all those hours spent studying anatomy and V loved it, he just loved it. He didn't know exactly how much time they had spent just kissing and eventually fondling each other but he loved everything, from what he felt to what she was obviously feeling by herself –and- with his help. That part was definitely a plus; he discovered it was immensely gratifying to find new ways to make her melt. In truth he was having a great time learning her language of barely audible moans and whimpers, and kept experimenting with pace and pressure to know what pleased her most.

Paying attention to Evey's body language was fascinating and in a way he was surprised at how far she was letting him go without the slightest protest. His fingers abandoned the swollen nub they'd tortured for some good five minutes and slid down to tease Evey's entrance with playful touches, attempting to distract her from her own task. The small hand squeezed him a little harder translating the growing tension in her body but she managed not to stop, fully aware he was serious about sending her to bed without her supper.

"Do you have any suggestions at this point, dear Eve?" He breathed out in her ear, pushing the tip of his finger barely inside her and knowing damn well what she'd suggest. He found her even wetter than before and took full advantage of her slippery juices to move his finger in lazy circles, becoming familiar with the soft ring of tissue between her spread legs. Evey gasped, squeezing him again and this time betraying a growing deterioration in both control and dexterity. He loved being a pirate.

"Uh… uh…"

"Cat got your tongue, child?" He teased her again, wondering if he was going too far with his little game. Just to be sure he moved his finger in wider circles, stretching her gently and making her hiss against his shoulder.

"No…no fucking cat …" She managed after a handful of seconds and V didn't know if he should congratulate her or torture her a little more. Torture sounded far better and he pushed a second finger barely inside her, this time ready to remain in control despite another involuntary squeeze of her delicate hand to his own sensitized flesh.

"Ah, there you are, Evey. Always a pleasure to chat with you." He purred in her ear, making a conscious effort to sound as filthy as possible. "Any suggestions, then?" He reminded her of his previous question, enjoying every little ragged breath escaping her full lips and wondering what phrasing Evey would choose to express her wishes, hoping she wouldn't sulk as she often did when confronted directly. After all and despite her occasional bravado she was still a shy little creature used to be treated badly.

"Your fingers…"

"Yes?"

"More…"

"More what, Evey?" He inquired wickedly, flooded with inspiration, still moving his fingers with languid patience and using his thumb to caress once again the girl's sensitive bud, making it even more difficult for Evey to give a coherent answer. The girl squirmed after what seemed an hour, uncomfortable for no apparent reason. He heard her whimper and then stir in his arms, producing a series of confusing signals, alternately pulling him closer to then attempting and failing to move away. Evey seemed torn, at once willing and reluctant to say exactly what she wanted. V remembered who he was with and wondered if she had ever been able to say what she wanted in bed. She seemed at ease when it was her turn to provide him with pleasure but she doubted when he offered the opposite. He sensed he was getting too close to unsteady ground and fearing ruining the evening decided not to push her further. There would be time to make her confront her conditioning in a more appropriate environment. His fingers offered to help and slid one inch deeper inside her, making her confusing body language stop altogether. "Something like this, dear Evey?" He suggested as his fingers moved again in circles, combining his previous stretching with gentle motions back and forth. Evey said nothing but nodded her head and leaned back on him comfortably, with her small hand still stroking with perhaps more firmness than before.

Good, V thought as a small chill crept up his spine. He'd just defused a little bomb and things seemed to be heading on the right direction again. In the future he'd be more alert to spot Evey's signs of discomfort. The girl tilted her head up, asking silently for a kiss, which he read as a very positive signal. Her lips felt softer than earlier, no doubt because she was so deliciously stimulated. The fingers inside her slid another inch deeper to reward her cooperation, making Evey melt further into his arms.

Another gentle twist, another playful thrust and the girl was enjoying herself too much to notice –or care- that she'd become the fascinating subject of V's latest experiment. His mind was too curious to be intimidated for long and a small crowd of enthusiastic voices in his head came up with an ingenious plan and split into two groups; one would have sex with Evey through V and the other would take notes. Just to be fair they agreed to switch places every two and a half minutes. V had no idea of how they planned to keep track of time but that was their plan so it was their problem to follow it. In the meantime he was busy keeping up with Evey's subtle requests, moving his fingers inside her as fast and as hard as she managed to ask between gasps.

The voices inside V's couldn't decide if they were in an orgy or gangbanging Evey instead but the idea made them laugh hysterically for a whole minute and only after sixty endless seconds they remembered what they were supposed to be doing and went back to work, with one group moaning dramatically and the other cheering while taking notes. He tried to ignore them, tried to pretend they weren't even there but the show was so amusing that he had to snicker. Fortunately Evey was too busy to notice anything but those two long fingers up inside her. The fragmentary personalities directed their attention to their host and attracted his attention assuming that if he could hear them, they could make a few "suggestions" to spice things up.

V stopped for exactly five second, fearing they'd come up with something entirely inappropriate but all the noise in his head died. Oh, they were dangerous when quiet, like naughty children playing pirates with mum's new kitchen knives. He adjusted the angle of his fingers to increase friction over a spot Evey favored and reassumed his caressing of her slippery walls before she sensed he had been distracted by something. He felt them stir in his mind, gathering energy to do something and knowing just what they were like, expected them to make him blush with some lewd remark. It was about time he scolded them for their imprudence and he prepared to do so but instead of shouting they whispered anxiously, confusing him with their various suggestions.

Great, now he'd have to manage fingerfucking Evey nice and proper, figure out what _they_ were trying to say before _they_ grew impatient and annoying, -and- correct his speech before it fell into a bottomless abyss of irretrievable vulgarity. _They _had a way to interrupt at the worst possible times. Fine, fine, he could keep up with everything if he tried hard enough, even if Evey hissed and shivered in his arms when he brushed that slightly rugged spot inside her. He still had to get her naked, yes. But wait, he was supposed to be doing something else… Oh yes, _they_ wanted to say something. His attention was slightly diverted from Evey's slippery nerve ends to a multitude of excited voices that somehow had reached a consensus to suggest him the use of his thumb again, making him snicker a second time. He had to congratulate them for their unusual composure and sensible thinking. It always fascinated him how things without a real mouth or anything close to a real body managed to be so expressive. Perhaps one day he'd tell them how creepy they looked when they grinned showing those fangs…

"Evey!" They shouted in his head, reminding him of what he was supposed to be doing. They hurried to figure out who was supposed to take notes and who was supposed to enjoy the show, and took their respective seats with minimum fuss. V granted them a few seconds to concentrate and focused once more on the panting creature in his arms. She seemed to have no complaints yet. Good. He held her tighter and licked her earlobe delicately to get her attention.

"Enjoying yourself, my sweet?" He breathed in Evey's ear after a series of particularly vigorous motions inside her and stopped altogether to encourage her to answer or perhaps to enjoy the feeling of her inner muscles squeezing his fingers involuntarily. She nodded her head against his shoulders, tilting her hips to let him know she hadn't had enough yet. The fingers inside her remained motionless but V's thumb rediscovered her and tickled the delicate folds between her legs with featherlike touches.

"Evey?"

"Huh?"

"Do you find this pleasurable?"

"Uh-huh…"

At least he wasn't talking like a pimp anymore, he thought. He pressed his thumb to her tender flesh, moving it gently from left to right, spreading the swollen lips in search of Evey's tiny nub. The girl shivered, betraying that he'd just found what he was looking for and many grinning mouths shone in the dark of V's mind.

"And this? Do you like this?" He asked in a whisper, exploiting Evey's liking for erotic talk while rubbing the delicate tissue with tender devotion.

"Yeah…"

"Harder?"

"Oh yeah!"

He loved knowing exactly what he was doing and obliged gallantly, making sure Evey noticed exactly when he started moving his fingers inside her again to provide her with twice as much entertainment. He felt her squeezing his fingers, pulling them deeper inside her with greed not quite to be expected. Evey Hammond was far more than just a frightened little creature.

"Faster maybe?"

"Yes!"

The delicate female body grew increasingly tense, noticeably all along the bottom of her pelvic cavity, making him fear she was hurting but Evey wasn't complaining in the least; she'd even forgotten she was supposed to reciprocate and her small hand abandoned duty inside his trousers to join its partner in grasping handfuls of dark silk pajamas. V considered punishing her for neglecting him but in consideration of her temporarily lack of coordination, he thought it wise not to have her hand near delicate neighborhoods any longer. On the positive side, he could use it as an excuse to reprimand her later. The very next evening if possible…

Evey's small body contorted once more in his arms, making him put his plans for further mischief on hold and encouraging him to apply more pressure instead. Her timid gasps started sounding as more than an expression of approval and he held her closer to his chest to listen attentively until he realized she was actually asking him to keep his hand right where it was. Once in a while even ideas had to puff up with pride and he obliged happily, adding another pinch of vigor in the process. The tension in Evey's muscles became obvious even in the near dark and eventually she lost all ability to produce intelligible words. The frail body arched as far as his tight embrace allowed, shuddering with a beautiful orgasm. He had expected her to be far less noisy than him and in fact no sound came out her mouth, except for ragged little breaths. She had instructed him not to remove his hand and he obeyed, marveled at feeling a series of distinctive contractions happening between her legs every few seconds, even after her orgasm. He counted eleven and although he didn't know what to call them, found them utterly charming. Next time he'd try to feel them from inside her body and with something thicker than his fingers. He pulled the relaxed body closer and kissed Evey's lips gently, giving her enough time to recover.

"Good?" He knew she'd liked it but his ego was in the mood for some pampering and wanted to hear a positive review, just like the ego of any other bloke would. He'd put a lot of effort into it and he thought that considering the fair amount of theory he'd recently acquired, compared to a relative lack of practical experience, things had turned out pretty well. Actually he thought he'd excelled on a scale from 0 to 10 for that first attempt, just the way he did on everything he had an interest on. Of course he'd do it well; he'd studied the subject and Grey's anatomy had become one of his favorite books and for reasons that had very little to do with medicine or murder.

"Mmhmm… very good." Replied the listless little beast in his arms. Evey stretched her thin limbs and stirred, looking for a new position. V knew just what position he wanted her to assume next. Things looked well; he was centered and in control, and she was relaxed and happy, therefore far more likely to reward his gallant ministrations with that warm mouth of hers around him. He removed his moist hand from between her legs and ran one finger over her lower lip, hoping to remind her of what he wanted and she could provide with such skill. Her full lips parted and her pink tongue wrapped around his finger to lick it briefly before guiding it in to suck on it adoringly. He had not expected her to do that and had to fight the sudden impulse to remove his gloveless hand but she seemed to be enjoying it and that settled the matter.

To be honest it was unexpectedly good; the warm and soft mouth was very busy playing with his finger, making him squirm despite himself, especially when she nibbled on the tip and sent the most delicious shivers up and down his body. Not quite where he wanted her to be but he could take a little more teasing before that. He held her closer to his chest with the left arm and leaned back on the pillows to surrender to the patient prelude. He decided he liked that slower pace; it was giving him the chance to appreciate the finer shades and colors of what they were doing and his senses were better able to process all that maddening pleasure without risking an overload. He concluded burning was extremely fun but simmering had very nice advantages and dared going a bit farther, shifting slightly under Evey to find a better angle and grind slowly against her hip, all to increase his own enjoyment and also remind her of just what he was waiting for.

Yes, he did like a slower pace, maybe not as the first option for every future encounter –he loved to know there would be more of such nights, as many as they both wanted, something he'd never even considered before finding Evey- but at that specific time, the pacing was perfect. He could already anticipate he'd choose to stay on the same tempo when they got to his already favorite part of the still limited repertoire they were exploring and just thinking on Evey's little mouth sucking him for real with such slow care was enough to make him moan. He'd make sure to remind her he wanted her to take her time.

She'd also said she would teach him something he'd never forget before the night was over and he could sense she was getting ready to do so. The little mouth delivered another playful bite and went back to sucking on his finger. He could only imagine what that new lesson was related to and he couldn't wait. She'd have to follow the rules as agreed but so far those limits had proven not to be overly annoying, except for… _Evil Nipples Little Top_. Oh well, he'd have to think on what to do with it. He was also glad his sight was so much better than hers, something he did not intend to tell her about, at least not yet.

Oh yes, he'd been such a good lad; he'd even made her beg for pleasure. From top to bottom he'd certainly earned a long, and thorough blowjob. He didn't know if Will would approve of his current use of the English language but he sure would if –he- knew what Evey was capable of with that hypocritical little mouth of hers. He planned to be alert and not miss one single thing; his mind was already working on producing detailed mental records for enjoyment and study. Perhaps he should also consider seriously the idea of installing some of his cameras inside her room to satisfy his voyeuristic appetite. The light would be a small problem but he was sure infrared equipment would suffice. If he got the cameras in there he'd be able to watch the tapes as often as he'd like, and perhaps Evey would like to watch them with him. Then he could make new tapes of both, watching old tapes and replaying them. Oh, that could become such a fun game to play…

He had to stop for a moment; things would get out of control in a matter of two or three minutes if he didn't. He focused on his breathing, trying to apply theory to practice and maintain his level of arousal and still remain in charge of his body. He counted slowly in his head to focus on something neutral and once he'd reached a sensible stage, looked down to announce he was ready for the next phase. If he had known how erotic the sight of Evey sucking on his finger would be, he would have looked long before instead of wasting visual time laying his head on the pillow but there would be time to do so next time, what mattered now was that he was ready and Evey had fallen asleep on him.

All of a sudden all the voices in his head screeched outraged in perfect unison. No, she couldn't possibly be asleep, she just couldn't! He wanted to scream, slap her awake and after that grab her by the hair and make her blow him. No, this time she'd gone too far with her teasing, knowing perfectly well that he was dying for it and that he had worked to earn it, too. It was so unfair of her, to treat him like that. She'd only stayed conscious for long enough to have –him- satisfy her. Quite frankly he felt like a whore. It was not only unfair but also mean and even worse, it was… cheap.

He demanded to know who was responsible for it. He wanted name and address of the cheap bastard who had taught her such… bad bed manners. And then he remembered having heard those exact words of disapproval in his sleep not long ago, on the night they'd first kissed, and to be more accurate, on the night he'd fallen asleep on her bed right after she'd devoured him. He felt the warmth in his face changing from one of anger to one of embarrassment; -he- was the one with bad bed manners. She'd even found his slip funny, a reaction far more elegant than his. He felt his rage vanish, replaced by understanding. No wonder she'd said she'd teach him something he'd never forget and not only she'd shown him how annoying bed partners could be without even being aware of it; she'd also chosen to show him she trusted him enough to put herself in a very vulnerable position just when he was likely to turn into a rabid lunatic after discovering her trick. Part of him was also proud that she'd found the strength to demand respect from him. If she learned to do that more often, his work deprogramming her could be considered a success.

A long sigh broke the silence of the room and V pondered what to do next; he could wake her, take it like a big boy and –maybe- carry on with the festivities or he could leave quietly and accept the prank with grace. He could also strangle her, bring her back to life, make her blow him and then strangle her again. No, that would be too much, besides he was hard enough to feel something close to pain and he didn't want to imagine what he'd feel like in the morning if he didn't do something about it and soon. Of course he could do it all by himself but… no.

"Eve…"

Just a whisper was enough to wake her from the light sleep she was in and V felt her body grow slightly tense as she probably expected he'd react in a negative way after all to what she'd done. The little mouth let his finger go and she looked up at the shadows, waiting.

"Manners. I get it."

"Nice. Now where were we?"

"I believe you were about to take advantage of me."

"Do you still want me to?"

"Oh yes…"

She was so good at distracting him with words; she'd already managed to shift in his arms to look for his mouth and continue her playful questioning between slow but fierce kisses.

"And what should we do to you now…?"

He couldn't help twitching with need, feeling her small hand wrapping around him again inside the pajamas trousers to stroke slowly while she pondered out loud just what she'd do to him next. He was too busy controlling his body to realize right away that she was actually asking him what he wanted but she waited patiently for his answer until he composed it.

"Suck me. Slowly."

"My cinnamon roll…"

V leaned back into the pillows, letting his body relax at last. He was starting to feel quite comfortable with having that delicious animal moving slowly between his legs, letting her do what she thought was right. His greatest task was that of breathing deeply as she tormented him with slow, deliberate touches so he could tell exactly where she was and what she was doing.

Once more his voyeuristic kink entered the stage of his mind and he pictured Evey servicing other men, even if they were not especially interested on women, like Mr. Dietrich. In his fantasy they were all in the same room and Evey kept her lovers entertained while he watched from a fancy chair in a privileged corner. Mr. Dietrich seemed to be having fun, and so did Mr. Finch but the pup Dominic was the best of all, looking straight at him and licking his lips, inviting him to enjoy Evey and perhaps even himself. Such an interesting discovery, he'd have to explore the thought later, maybe tomorrow once his head was clear.

Yes, the slower pace had advantages; he even managed to ask her to stop twice to regain control when he thought he was getting too close to release. It seemed to please her and she even volunteered to help him by means of making him focus on brief sessions of gentle kisses that kept him warm but in control. The small mouth devoured him again, making him look down and put his little fantasy aside to simply enjoy the moist reality moving up and down between his legs. Evey paused for a moment to catch her breath and it came to mind that although she hadn't complained yet, she had spent a considerable amount of time focused on his needs and if he pushed her too far she might be reluctant to grant him her favors in the future. No, being a rascal did not imply being rude, inconsiderate and therefore stupid.

"Evey?"

"Hmmm?"

"Now… now…"

It was too dark to see but he could have sworn the little demon grinned around him before turning into a petite fury that traded her previous patience with primal vigor, solely devoted to the task of making him explode as quickly as she could manage. Perhaps she was trying to break a personal record, he suggested to his inner voices that giggled delighted. Oh, if they only behaved like this more often…

He leaned deeper into the pillows, not even trying to move or grab a fistful of soft curly hair. After all Evey had everything under control and his only job was to twitch in her mouth, vaguely thinking that she'd kept him simmering for a long time and in a way it had been like replaying the first time in slow-motion. He remembered he had to bring cameras into the room and then he forgot what he wanted them for in the first place. All that mattered was the pool of burning ice in his belly, expanding, running up and down his body like a wildfire that erased the world around him, depriving his mind of anything but pleasure and the sound of his voice, howling deliriously and not giving a damn any longer.

"No more… no more… oh dear…" He begged as soon as consciousness found him after what seemed like an eternity, noticing that somehow he had managed to keep his brocade slippers on, which seemed ridiculous, almost surreal. The thought of being so impossibly neat at all times made him chuckle and point out the fact to Evey, still between his legs and quite busy licking a small drop off the back of her hand. "My sweet," He breathed out. "My boots are not guests to your bed but my slippers managed to sneak into our little party." The girl giggled and shook her head, reaching behind her to remove the delinquent slippers and toss them on the floor next to the bed. She dusted her hands together with a satisfied grunt and hurried to lean back on the listless body resting against her cushioned headboard.

"Hiya Wolfie. Did you come nice and hard?"

"Mmhmm…You?"

"Uh-huh!"

"Good. Mind if I pass out now?" He asked more dead than alive, reaching for the mask and wondering if he had been bad enough for one night. He thought he had but there was always room for improvement and he was determined to be twice as bad the next time.

"Actually I've got one last little thing to show you so don't put it back on just yet, okay?" She ordered as she rearranged his clothing lovingly and climbed up his body to press her parted lips to his with the sole purpose of delivering one last sensuous kiss, spiced up with his essence. A slow explosion of exhausted pleasure crept from his belly up to his chest, taking his breath away. She licked his lips goodnight and helped him put on the mask and slide down the pillows that were quickly laid along the headboard for sleep. He sighed, satisfied beyond his expectations for the night and felt Evey's body shift under the loud crocheted blanket she'd pulled over both, no doubt ready to spend her second night cuddling with a tall and warm rag doll.


End file.
